Is AI the secret weapon for crafting student-centered learning, or a shortcut to educational chaos?
Insights from Dr. Cheryl Couch’s AACTE 2025 Presentation
Should educators shun content generated by AI tools or leverage it? A relevant question for today. Dr. Cheryl Couch, York University’s eLearning Specialist and Program Director for the Master’s in Education, addressed this topic at the American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education (AACTE) Annual Meeting on February 21-23, 2025, in Long Beach, CA. The conference theme emphasized innovation, resilience, and collaboration in shaping the future of teaching and learning. Her answer to that “hot” question: “Yes, AI used in the right way can be an enhancement to methods courses.”
Dr. Couch’s three key touchpoints from her presentation, Leveraging Generative AI for Innovative Course Design in Teacher Education, are:
- Advancing Methods Courses
The goal is to streamline and establish a formal, consistent approach to courses for teacher preparation. “We need to focus on equipping current and future educators with skills for personalized, student-centered learning environments rather than one that is teacher-directed.” One important tactic is to employ best practices from PK-12 that are essential for fostering student engagement and learning and adapting those teaching methods to meet the demands of our rapidly evolving educational landscape in higher education.
- Integrating Generative AI
“Reflecting on lessons from the initial impact of AI in education, I’ve concluded there are valid benefits to using generative AI tools for lesson planning and instructional design.” However, it is important to directly address challenges faced by faculty and students, such as the ethical considerations of data privacy and algorithmic bias. Incorporating clear and concise instructions and parameters best frames the responsible implementation of AI in education.
- Leadership in Education
Dr. Couch underscored the need to align standards, assessments, and course outcomes for every lesson plan. “I developed a theory and model in 2020 that integrates the gradual release of responsibility to guide the transition from teacher-centered to student-centered instruction while increasing rigor according to Bloom’s taxonomy.” This enables students to progress from theory to practice, from understanding to creating through relevant methods in each course.
Impact on Educator Preparation
York University is proud to spotlight Dr. Couch’s contributions as we continue to advance educator preparation through research, professional practice, and collaboration. Her focus on innovation and ethical technology use provided a roadmap for institutions aiming to prepare educators for the complexities of 21st-century classrooms.