Adapting Instruction in the Age of AI
Wednesday, June 10, 9 a.m.–4 p.m.
UCLA University Club, Morrison Room & Zoom
The UCLA Teaching and Learning Center’s inaugural symposium will provide a forum for dialogue on the implications and influence of emerging technologies.
Overview
This full-day event will thoughtfully address AI’s evolving role and impact on teaching and learning. Panel discussions, flash talks, and a keynote address will bring together experts to explore practical, ethical, and equitable uses in instruction from a variety of perspectives. The day will close with a technology exposition to demonstrate various tools and opportunities for instructors interested in responsibly integrating AI into courses.
Virtual Option Added
Due to extensive interest in the UCLA Teaching Symposium, a virtual option is now available for the keynote address and faculty panel discussion. The afternoon sessions will only be available to in-person attendees. Please register to attend by June 5.
All members of the UCLA community are welcome to join the symposium’s virtual sessions. For questions or additional information, contact help@teaching.ucla.edu.
Keynote Address by Terence Tao
Beyond Answers: What Should Math (and all) Students Focus on Learning in the AI Era?
Terence Tao is a professor & The James and Carol Collins Chair in the UCLA College of Letters and Sciences, as well as a Fellow of the Royal Society and the Australian Academy of Sciences. A prolific and renowned scholar, he was awarded the Fields Medal in 2006 for his work on partial differential equations. Tao’s research spans numerous areas of mathematics including harmonic analysis, number theory, geometric combinatorics, arithmetic combinatorics, and algebraic combinatorics. Tao has also been recognized for his teaching and received the 2005 Robert Sorgenfrey Distinguished Teaching Award in the Department of Mathematics. Learn more about the keynote speaker.
Panel Discussion
Faculty experts from multiple disciplines will illuminate the most pressing issues and implications at this stage of AI’s presence in higher education. Moderated by Kem Saichaie, TLC Executive Director.
Panelists include:
Joshua Samani, Associate Teaching Professor, Physics & Astronomy
Danny Snelson, Associate Professor of English + Design Media Arts
Melissa Paquette-Smith, Associate Teaching Professor, Psychology
Terence Tao, Professor & The James and Carol Collins Chair in the UCLA College of Letters and Sciences
Serena Wang, Chair of the UCLA AI in Medical Education Council & Associate Clinical Professor, David Geffen School of Medicine
Concurrent Sessions
Showcased examples of how instructors have integrated AI into courses, developed their own course-specific AI tools, as well as navigated challenges related to academic integrity and ethical concerns.
Ethics, Integrity, & Equity: What Do We Gain & Lose with GenAI in Higher Ed?
Faculty and graduate student instructors will highlight the opportunities and risks that GenAI presents for higher education. Panelists will discuss issues related to ethics and equity, as well as teaching and learning with integrity in an age where AI has caused many to reimagine usual practices. Moderated by Sammy Solis, Assistant Director for Teaching Development of the TLC.
Panelists:
- Christian Nielsen-Garcia, PhD student, Information Studies
- Jason Araújo, PhD student, Comparative Literature
- Pamela Hieronymi, Professor, Philosophy
- Miriam Posner, Associate Professor, Information Studies and Digital Humanities
- Noopur Raval, Assistant Professor, Information Studies
Using AI Tools in the Classroom Flash Talks
In 5 minutes or less, UCLA faculty and graduate student instructors will share recent innovations or experiments they have applied in their classrooms around AI’s use in teaching and learning. Designed to be short and provocative, these talks aim to spark a larger conversation about the applications of generative AI in education. Moderated by Ava Arndt, Program Director for Innovation in Online and Accessible Pedagogy of the TLC.
Presenters:
- Alexander Kusenko, Professor, Physics & Astronomy
- Noah Yan, MD/PhD student, Immunology
- Warren Scott Comulada, Professor-in-Residence, Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences & Health Policy and Management
- Abigail Saguy, Professor, Sociology
- Jiaoo Liu, PhD student, Education
Choose Your Own A(I)dventure Roundtables
This self-guided session will guide participants to consider their own perspectives and values related to AI in teaching and learning. Keywords and activities stationed at different roundtables will prompt reflection on one’s interests and emotions around various tools and technologies.
Evaluating & Applying AI Tools: How to Navigate a Changing Landscape
Faculty and graduate student instructors will discuss their approaches to evaluating AI tools, balancing experimentation with rigor, and adapting to ongoing change. The conversation will highlight real experiences, open questions, and evolving best practices across disciplines. Moderated by Sally Wu, Director of Instructional Design and Media Production of the TLC.
Panelists:
- Jason Baer, UCLA Extension Instructor; Principal AI Product Manager, Adobe
- Anna Bonazzi, PhD student, German; Research & Instructional Technology Consultant
- Emma Ridder, PhD student, English; Research & Instructional Technology Consultant
- Jesse Rissman, Professor, Psychology
Building an AI Ethics Writing Curriculum Across Engineering and the Humanities Flash Talks
UCLA faculty from Writing Programs and the Samueli School of Engineering will share practical strategies around how to design and implement ethical reasoning, critical analysis, and communication skills into an AI education spanning across technical and humanities-based disciplines. Moderated by Wonki Lee, Associate Director of Educational Assessment Services & Initiatives, TLC.
Presenters:
- Logan Juliano, Continuing Lecturer, UCLA Writing Programs
- Randal Fallows, Continuing Lecturer, UCLA Writing Programs
- Richard Wesel, Professor and Associate Dean, Samueli School of Engineering
- Claire Nelischer, Associate Director, UCLA Urban Humanities Initiative
Technology Exposition and Social Hour
Enjoy refreshments, debrief with colleagues, and explore AI tools for teaching and learning through hands-on demonstrations and roundtables.
