The world of technology says generative artificial intelligence is essential for the future of work and learning. But as an educator, I still wonder: is it really worth bringing it into the classroom? Do these tools really help students learn new challenges they haven't faced yet?
Like many others in higher education, I was skeptical, but I knew I couldn't ignore it. So, instead of waiting for all the answers, I decided to jump in and discover what it means beyond the hype to prepare students for a world that drives AI. Last semester we developed a business technology class that incorporates the latest generation AI tools into the curriculum.
What I found was that AI productivity products have a learning curve, like any other application that students and ultimately white-collar workers use for knowledge work. However, considering how they taught the classes to emphasize critical thinking, how these tools are used, and checking against the errors they generate, I had to adjust.
project
It is no secret that generative AI is changing the way people work, learn and teach. According to the 2025 McKinsey Global Survey on AI, 78% of respondents say their organization uses AI in at least one business function, with many people actively reskilling their workforce or training them with new skills to meet this shift's demands.
As the program director for the Bachelor of Business Information Technology Program at the University of Wisconsin Stor, the University of Wisconsin Polytechnic University, I spend a lot of time on how to prepare students for the workplace. I'm also an AI enthusiast, but I'm a skeptical person. I believe in the power of these tools, but I also know that I will question ethics, responsibility and preparation.
So I asked myself: how can I make sure my students are ready to use AI to understand it?
In the spring of 2025, University of Wisconsin Stout launched a pilot for a small group of faculty and staff to explore Microsoft 365 Copilot for business. We saw an opportunity to offer these latest AI features as well, as they work alongside tools like Word, Excel, Outlook, PowerPoint, OneDrive, and Teams, which students already use.
To that end, I have built an exploratory project on our Senior Capstone Course. Students were asked to use copilot for business throughout the semester, to keep a journal reflecting their experiences and develop practical use cases on how AI can support them as both students and future professionals. No specific task was assigned. Instead, I encouraged them to explore freely.
My goal was not to turn them into AI experts overnight. I wanted them to build comfort, urgency and critical awareness of how and when to use AI tools in real-world contexts.
What I learned and my students
What stood out for me was the students moving quickly from curiosity to confidence.
Many of them had already tried tools like ChatGpt and Google Gemini, but Copilot for business was a bit different. It worked with my own documents, emails, meeting notes and class materials, making the experience more personal and instantly relevant.
In the journal, students used Copilot to summarise team video meetings, draft PowerPoint slides, and explain how to write more sophisticated emails. One student said they saved time by generating summary that could be reviewed after the meeting instead of taking notes on the phone or rewatching the recording. Another used it to review assignments to rubric, a scoring tool that outlines standards and performance levels for evaluating student work, to help them gain confidence before submitting their work.
Dennis Jans is non-flash
Several students admitted that they had initially struggled to write effective prompts. This had to experiment to create a typed request that led AI to generate content. Like other generative AI tools, some people are reflected in instances where Copilot has generated inaccurate or configured information, or that they have learned to double-check the response. This has helped us understand the importance of validating AI-generated content, particularly in academic and professional settings.
Also, some students must be reminded to use copilots rather than relying on other tools they are better accustomed to. In some cases, they simply forgot that copilot was available. That feedback showed how important it is to give students the time and space to develop new habits around new skills.
What's next?
This project worked well for Copilot for Business, but higher costs compared to previous desktop productivity apps could limit future use in classes and raise ethical questions about access.
That said, we plan to continue to expand the use of generator AI tools throughout the course. Instead of treating AI as a one-off topic, I want it to be part of the flow of everyday academic works. My goal is for students to build AI literacy and use these tools responsibly. It is not an alternative to support your learning.
Historically, software programs were able to create content such as text documents, slides, and more, while generation AI tools generated “work” based on user prompts. This shift requires a higher level of awareness of what students are learning and how they are involved in materials and AI tools.
This pilot project reminded us that it doesn't just integrate AI into the classroom, but also gives students access to new tools. It is to create spaces to explore, experiment, reflect and critically think about how these tools fit into personal and professional life, and most importantly, how they work.
As an educator, I also think about the deeper questions this technology raises. How can we ensure that students continue to develop original and critical thinking when AI can easily generate ideas and content? How can you maintain meaningful learning while taking advantage of the efficiency these tools provide? Also, what challenges can students help them effectively use AI while demonstrating their ideas?
These are not merely theoretical concerns. Early research has identified the risks of “cognitive offloading” when performing tasks such as writing essays in AI. Research has shown that using AI reduces cognitive effort and even influences students' confidence in their thinking. This underscores the importance of incorporating critical thinking activities along with the use of AI.
These questions are not easy, but they are important. Higher education plays a key role in helping students understand their responsibility to use AI and shape its impact and how it is used.
It can be difficult to balance the right balance between nurturing original thinking with AI and promoting critical thinking. One way I approached this is for students to first create their own content and then use reviews using AI. In this way, they maintain ownership of their work and view AI as a useful tool rather than a shortcut. It's all about knowing when to leverage AI to improve or enhance your ideas.
This was one of the advice I received that I really stuck to me. Start small, be transparent and speak openly with your students. That's what I did and when I enter the next chapter of teaching and learning in the age of AI, that's what I keep doing.
