How Much AI

Is Too Much?

Finding the Co-Creation Threshold Across Disciplines

Teaching students to use AI while practicing

the skills an assignment is meant to develop.

Chris Cox · Computing and Digital Technology

Westminster College

MACTE Fall Conference

October 15, 2026

Educational Accountability

• As educators, what are our goals?
• Tasks
• Relationships
• Most importantly…learning

How Do You Currently Use AI?

Are You Using AI Correctly—Ethically?

• My biggest fear…
• Students biggest (potential fear)
• Educational fear

Close…but not quite there—or TOO there.

• Educational Tension
• How do I use AI in the classroom?
• Where is the balance?
• This goes back to hitting one goal but missing another goal.

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Using AI in Classroom Contextually

Where does helping become doing the learning?

THE CO-CREATION THRESHOLD • ONE SIMPLE IDEA

AI SUPPORTS LEARNING

AI offers ideas, feedback, or

material to evaluate.

The student still makes the

important decisions.

AI REPLACES PRACTICE

AI completes the very skill

we intended students to learn.

The student cannot yet

show that skill independently.

Using AI in 101s

• Introduction Speeches

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What did AI do??

• Well, it provided an introduction speech FOR a communication course, not an introduction speech within a Communication Course.
• Why did this happen?
• What does this lead to?
• What does this not lead to?

What did AI Do?

• Again, it took the introduction literal—tailoring it to the class, not tailoring it to the audience.
• We want to address the content, but I did not prompt it to do so.
• Results?
• Cookie cutter
• Awkward language
• Fitting…not for me, but for everyone. That is the issue.

So, how CAN we use AI?

The same question applies in Digital Media

CHRIS • THREE POSSIBLE AI USES IN DIG 210 (ILLUSTRATIVE, NOT STUDY RESULTS)

AUDIO REMIX

AI MAY:

Suggest a music loop.

STUDENT MUST:

Edit timing and explain how the mood changes.

VIDEO COMMENTARY

AI MAY:

Suggest visuals.

STUDENT MUST:

Build the argument and check the evidence.

SOCIAL STORYTELLING

AI MAY:

Propose captions.

STUDENT MUST:

Select an audience, revise, and explain why.

AI in the Upper Levels

• In the upper-level courses, students should be learning more application-based learning.
• Challenging for AI.
• Students must pull from course content, lectures, discussions, and professor insights.
• Can AI do it? Let’s see….

Exam 1 in 203

What did AI Do?

• Answered the prompts…Kind of.
• Vague
• Reflected using the prompts
• Assumed
• Applied, but with inaccurate information.

What is Missing?

How Could Students Use AI?

What did AI do?

• Guided
• Did not replace, but suggested
• Gave instructions on places to look deeper into
• Still requires student to read, connect, and then write

So where is the line in your classroom?

NOW CONNECT THIS FRAMEWORK TO YOUR OWN COURSE

AI writes the introduction speech. What did the student practice?

AI suggests a structure. Does the student still analyze the course material?

AI generates visuals. Does the student still build and defend the argument?

Your turn: make a three-line AI guideline

A FIVE-MINUTE PARTNER ACTIVITY

1

AI MAY HELP WITH…

Name a task you would allow.

2

STUDENTS MUST STILL…

Name the skill they need to practice.

3

THEY WILL SHOW IT BY…

Name one visible piece of evidence.

90 seconds solo → 2 minutes with a neighbor → share one idea

Take a picture. Try this in your next class.

A COPY-READY ASSIGNMENT FRAMEWORK

You may use AI to [specific assistance].

You must still [specific learning task].

Show your learning by [evidence + explanation].

Example: AI may suggest an outline. You must develop and support

the argument. Explain a meaningful choice and verify your sources.

Thank You!