#USA #AI Integration #Annapolis #Quality Matters #iDesign

Human-AI Collaboration in Online Program Design

In a significant development for the education sector, Quality Matters (QM) has announced a multi-year research initiative to explore how artificial intelligence (AI) can enhance online program design. This initiative, in collaboration with iDesign, seeks to provide insights into how human instructional design expertise can be augmented by AI tools to improve curriculum mapping, alignment, and overall educational quality.

The Importance of AI in Higher Education

With the increasing demand for online and hybrid programs in higher education, institutions face growing pressures to ensure that these programs are coherent and outcomes-oriented. Dr. Deb Adair, CEO of Quality Matters, expressed the necessity of understanding AI’s role in supporting instructional designers and faculty, emphasizing that AI is not meant to replace human professionals but to supplement their expertise.

Curriculum Mapping: A Critical Tool

Curriculum mapping is essential for aligning courses and learning experiences with the intended outcomes set for programs. However, this process can be labor-intensive and inconsistently applied across different departments and institutions. As institutions look to scale their online offerings, the traditional methods of curriculum mapping require reassessment and innovation.

Enter AI tools, which promise to streamline these processes and improve efficiency in program design. The study, titled Exploring Human-AI Collaboration in Online Program Design, will particularly focus on the use of AI in program-level mapping activities for both undergraduate and graduate programs, rather than just individual course reviews.

The Research Framework

The initiative is structured around a three-phase research design. Participating program teams will test AI-assisted mapping methods, utilizing shared prompts and AI-enhanced mapping tools supported by curriculum intelligence software. This approach aims to evaluate the practicality of integrating AI in shaping educational frameworks effectively.

After a rigorous selection process, QM and iDesign have identified 18 online degree programs from various respected institutions such as Ball State University, Iowa State University, and University of North Florida, among others, to participate in the initial phases of this research project.

Support for Participating Institutions

To facilitate participation, an iDesign Research Grant will be offered, providing access to the Align platform for one program in four of the participating institutions. This grant aims to ensure that these institutions not only contribute to the research but also gain valuable insights into enhancing their curricula.

Dr. Whitney Kilgore, co-founder and chief academic officer of iDesign, highlighted the eagerness of online learning leaders to receive practical guidance on the responsible integration of AI into their instructional design processes. The institutions involved are expected to yield valuable data that will demonstrate how AI can enhance efficiency while identifying the irreplaceable value of human expertise in design.

Investigating Key Questions

This initiative will explore several pivotal questions within the education landscape, including:

• - What role does human judgment play in AI-assisted design processes?
• - How do different mapping approaches affect program rigor and equity?
• - What potential trade-offs do institutions confront as AI tools gain traction?

These inquiries will not only enhance our understanding of AI's integration into education but also help establish guidelines for best practices in the evolving field of online learning.

Anticipated Outcomes

The research is set to run until the end of 2026, with findings to be disseminated via publications, conference presentations, and community-engagement events. The results will also lay the groundwork for future studies on program portfolio management and scalable strategies for quality assurance in online education, which is rapidly transforming.

For those interested in the developments in this exciting realm of educational research, further information about Quality Matters can be found at www.qualitymatters.org, and insights into iDesign can be explored at www.idesignedu.org. This collaboration could mark a pivotal shift in how academic institutions approach and implement online learning initiatives, ensuring higher quality and more accessible education for all students.