Blackboard AI Design Assistant: Using AI to Support Teaching

Start with Learning Objectives

Before using the AI Design Assistant, identify what students should know or be able to do by the end of the lesson or module.

Strong learning objectives help ensure that AI-generated activities and assessments align with your intended learning outcomes.

Consider using:

• Measurable action verbs (Bloom’s Taxonomy)  
• Student-centered language 
• One observable outcome per objective 

Ways to Use the AI Design Assistant  

Generate Learning Modules  

The AI Design Assistant can suggest module structures based on your course title and description. 

Examples

• Brainstorm how to organize course content 
• Create a starting point for new courses  
• Identify logical groupings of topics  
• Explore alternative ways to sequence content  

Review the proposed modules to ensure they build knowledge progressively and support your course learning outcomes.   

Generate Discussion Prompts 

Create a variety of discussion questions based on your instructional purpose. Discussions can encourage students to analyze, evaluate, create, or explore ideas, but they can also be used to build community and help students connect with one another.  

Rather than accepting the first draft: 

• Explore different types of questions. Ask for questions that encourage analysis, evaluation, creativity, inspiration, or connection with classmates.  
• Adjust the complexity level. A discussion does not always need to be cognitively complex. Choose a level that fits the purpose of the discussion and your students.  
• Select course content to provide information or context students should draw from. 
• Connect questions to relevant situations, examples, or applications that help students engage with the course concepts.   

Generate Journal Prompts  

Generate reflective writing activities for students.  

Uses 

• Encourage self-reflection  
• Connect learning to personal or professional experiences  
• Promote metacognition  
• Support experiential learning  

Reflection prompts are most effective when they ask students to explain their thinking, connect ideas, or describe how they will apply what they learned. 

Generate Test Questions  

The AI Design Assistant can generate a variety of assessment questions 

Uses

• Create formative assessments  
• Build practice quizzes  
• Develop question pools  
• Assess understanding throughout a learning module using knowledge checks   

Review questions carefully for accuracy, alignment with learning objectives, appropriate difficulty, and clarity before making them available to students. 

Generate Rubrics 

Use AI to draft rubrics for assignments and discussions. 

Uses

• Clarify expectations 
• Communicate grading criteria  
• Support consistent evaluation  
• Provide meaningful feedback  

Review the rubric to ensure the criteria align with the assignment instructions and learning objectives. Adjust performance descriptions and point values as needed and ensure students can clearly distinguish between performance levels.   

Generate AI Images 

The AI Design Assistant can create images for use within your course.  

Uses  

• Add visual interest to course modules  
• Create illustrations for concepts in documents  
• Support learner engagement  
• Enhance course organization with relevant visuals 

Choose images that support learning rather than decorate the course. Verify that images are appropriate, accurate, and accessible. Provide alternative text when necessary. 

Generate AI Conversations 

The AI Design Assistant can generate AI Conversations that allow students to engage in interactive, AI-facilitated learning activities. These conversations provide students with opportunities to practice applying concepts, receive immediate responses, and explore ideas in a low-stakes environment. 

Consider using AI Conversations to: 

• Explore realistic scenarios or case studies  
• Practice decision-making in discipline-specific contexts  
• Prepare for class discussions or assessments  
• Apply concepts to authentic situations 
• Encourage reflection by having students explain or justify their reasoning  
• Provide opportunities for repeated practice and feedback  

AI Conversations are most effective when they are used to support active learning to encourage students to analyze, evaluate, or apply concepts rather than recall facts. They should complement instructor interaction, peer collaboration, or meaningful feedback.  

Best Practices  

To get the most value from the AI Design Assistant:  

• Ensure activities and assessments align with learning objectives  
• Treat AI output as a first draft.  
• Review and revise all AI-generated content  
• Apply accessibility best practices to all course materials, including AI-generated images  
• Remember that your expertise as the instructor is essential for creating an effective learning experience 

Related Resources 

• AI Use at NDSU - resources for instructors and students along with the AI policy and tools 
• Artificial Intelligence - resources for best practices and use cases when working with AI 
• Artificial Intelligence at NDSU: Goals, Guidance, and Research- resources for instructors, students, and research work