Harnessing AI for Open Educational Resources: Bridging Content Gaps with Microsoft Copilot

Minitex Lunch 'n Learn 2025

Fran Kennedy, Instructional Designer 

December 11, 2025

MinnState.edu

Agenda

• Introduction
• Background of Open Textbooks Pilot (OTP) project
• Microsoft Copilot
• How Microsoft Copilot was used for the OTP project

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Learning Outcomes

1. Participants will recognize how to utilize Microsoft Copilot to generate relevant educational activities and assessments.
2. Participants will explore how to effectively use Microsoft Copilot to create engaging and interactive learning materials that address specific educational needs.
3. Participants will acquire strategies to improve AI-generated activities and assessments.

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A little bit about me: Fran Kennedy (she/her) 

• Experience: Teaching, system-level projects, instructional design
• Education: M.A. English Studies; Ed.M. Higher Education; Ed.D. Educational Leadership
• Priority: Designing learning experiences suitable for all learners
• Favorite things: Birds, yoga, live music

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We are Minnesota State

Minnesota State is the third largest system �of state colleges and universities in the United States and the largest in the state with �26 state colleges and 7 state universities.

How Have You Used AI in Your Own Work?

• Please feel free to raise your hand and share your experience using artificial intelligence in your own work
• Note: Your experience does not have to relate to the development of open educational resources (OER)

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Open Textbooks Pilot Project at Minnesota State�

• The Open Textbooks Pilot Program is a program through the U.S. Department of Education's Office of Postsecondary Education.
• Funded in September 2021 to develop open educational resources for primary courses in teacher education programs.
• Awarded $1,177,282 to complete work by August 2024 – were approved a one year no-cost extension.
• Relied on collaborative partnerships among various campus and system office stakeholders across Minnesota State.

Funded by Open Textbook Pilot (OTP) Program from the U.S. Department of Education, through the Fund for the Improvement of Postsecondary Education (FIPSE) program office

Not “Just A Textbook”, But A Full Course

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Guiding Principles 

Microsoft Copilot

How It Can Be Used

• Idea generation
• Curriculum and assessment development
• Communication
• Rubric creation

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What It Is

• Microsoft-based AI tool
• Equivalent of Chat GPT
• Enabled for all Minnesota State employees
• I have access to a paid version

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How Microsoft Copilot Was Employed

• Intentional prompting
• Pre-generated ideas
• Manipulation of guidance
• Human intervention
• Generate alt text for images
• Copilot Link

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Prompt Example

This is the text that was entered into Copilot to create an activity

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Activity Example

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How Might You Use AI In Your Own Work?

. . . To create "Announcements" for students on your institution's LMS

. . . To place students into randomized groups

. . . To create activities

. . . To generate content for OER

. . . To rewrite content more concisely

. . . To find articles for students to read

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What else?

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Thank you.

30 East 7th Street, Suite 350

St. Paul, MN 55101-7804

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651-201-1800

888-667-2848

MinnState.edu

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