Conclusion

Thank you for spending time with this eBook. We created it to support instructors, staff, and students who are learning to navigate the changing role of artificial intelligence in higher education. As AI becomes more present in our lives and classrooms, we believe it’s important to stay curious, stay grounded, and stay connected to one another. This book is our way of contributing to that conversation.

The work you’ve seen here didn’t come from theory alone. It came from real classrooms, real workshops, and real questions from the people who teach and learn at the University of Missouri. These pages reflect a wide range of experiences. Some of us have been using AI tools for years. Others are just getting started. What connects us is a shared commitment to teaching with care, creativity, and purpose.

You’ve read about activities that help students practice prompt writing or give AI-generated speeches. You’ve seen how instructors can design equitable policies, support accessibility, and guide ethical use of AI in assignments. One chapter walked through a full semester-long course built on High Impact Practices and designed to teach students to write with AI, not just about it. Other chapters showed how departments can train new instructors and build shared policies that reflect our values as a university.

At the center of all of this work is a simple idea: AI should not replace good teaching. It should support it. When used thoughtfully, AI can help students become more confident writers, better researchers, and more reflective learners. It can save time, spark new ideas, and provide feedback that supports growth. But it can also raise challenges, especially around fairness, access, and trust. This book has tried to look at both the opportunities and the risks.

One of the most important lessons we’ve learned is that teaching with AI is not something to figure out alone. The best ideas in this book came from conversations — between faculty and students, between departments, and across the wider university community. That’s why we encourage you to use this book not just as a resource, but as a reason to start your own conversations. Share what you’ve tried. Ask questions. Invite feedback. Keep experimenting.

The truth is, we’re all still learning. There’s no single “right way” to teach with AI. And there may never be. But what matters is that we stay open to learning, stay honest about what works and what doesn’t, and keep our focus on what’s best for our students.

We hope this book has given you something useful — a new idea to try, a question to explore, or maybe just the confidence to take your next step. We’re glad to be in this work with you.

All Our Best,
Kevin Brown, Mauro Palmero, Jared Schroeder, and Caroline Waldbuesser
T4LC AI Faculty Fellows
Tori Mondelli
Teaching for Learning Center Director
University of Missouri