Teaching in the Age of AI: Reflections from the Krause Center for Innovation

Last summer, I took the AI Capstone course at the Krause Center for Innovation at Foothill College, and it completely reframed how I think about artificial intelligence in education. I’ve always been curious about new technology, but this course went well beyond learning how to “use” AI tools. We unpacked how large language models (LLMs) actually function, how they interpret prompts, identify patterns, and generate meaningful responses. Understanding what happens behind the curtain gave me a much deeper sense of both the potential and the limitations of AI.

One of my biggest takeaways was designing an AI Integration Plan that keeps the human firmly in the loop. I’m using AI in three key ways:

• Lesson Planning: Generating differentiated warm-ups, scaffolds, and content aligned with NGSS and UDL.
• Student Feedback: Having AI draft preliminary, asset-based comments on written work and portfolios before I add my personal feedback.
• Teacher Coaching: Supporting colleagues with AI-assisted lesson design and feedback frameworks.

As always, every output is reviewed, refined, and cross-checked against trusted standards. The goal is not to automate teaching; it is to enhance the work teachers already do best. As our school’s Instructional Technology Facilitator, I’m helping colleagues see AI not as a threat to teaching but as a powerful amplifier of teacher expertise and student engagement.

This January, I’ll be presenting a district professional development workshop where we’ll create specialized chatbot teaching assistants. Teachers will upload foundational documents such as our district’s Humanizing Pedagogy so the chatbot can reflect our shared values of equity and inclusion. The idea is simple: when AI tools understand our pedagogical frameworks, they can truly serve our classrooms rather than automate them.

The AI Capstone did more than teach me new tools; it helped me reimagine what it means to teach and lead in an AI-augmented world.

Learn more about the AI Capstone and apply for an upcoming cohort!