New: Podcast S1E4: Designing for Human Presence in AI-Integrated Learning

ByNext Path Design

Listen: AI for Educators Design Lab Podcast S1E4

👉 nextpathdesign.com/podcast | Spotify | Apple | YouTube

As AI is integrated into learning experiences, where is human presence essential? In this episode of the AI for Educators Design Lab podcast, Jennifer Maddrell, PhD, considers the interactions that make learning possible, and makes the case that in an AI-integrated environment, learning is shaped not just by how students interact with technology, but by the people who design, guide, and participate in those interactions.

Drawing on decades of distance and online learning research, including the Community of Inquiry framework and concepts such as transactional distance, she notes that prior edtech research is often ignored in new AI debates. She shares findings from her doctoral research showing social, teaching, and cognitive presence correlate with student satisfaction and perceived learning, but not necessarily with achievement, underscoring that interaction quality matters more than mere connection. 

Jennifer explores five (of many!) design considerations related to this topic, including:

  1. Where human presence most supports learning, 
  2. How to allocate tasks between humans and AI, 
  3. How to design teaching presence when AI handles instructional tasks, 
  4. Who is most affected when human connection is reduced, and 
  5. Whether AI introduces a distinct “presence” in learning. 

Design: AI for Educators Design Briefs

👉 nextpathdesign.com/designbriefs

Our Design Briefs are a free companion to our AI for Educators Design Lab podcast. Each brief includes a synopsis of the episode’s core design considerations with questions to tackle the AI integration pain points and opportunities you face.

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Thank you for following along. I’m excited to explore AI alongside you.

– Jennifer

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