As I near the end of the MET (Master of Educational Technology) program, I will be working on a practicum project with the UBC LDDI (Learning Design & Digital Innovation) team.
My goal for this term (Spring 2026) is to dig deeper into AI tools and explore practical strategies for integrating them to enhance the teaching and learning experience. In particular, I am interested in reimagining the course syllabus—one of the most essential documents in higher education, yet one whose purpose and opportunities for teaching and learning are often overlooked.
Below you can find my initial proposal for my practicum project:
Reimagining the Syllabus: AI-Assisted Visual Syllabus Design
This project aims to revisit the pedagogical values of the syllabus and their impact on learner engagement, and to explore how AI can help transform it into a more accessible and inclusive design, informed by principles such as Universal Design for Learning (UDL) and web accessibility.
Drawing from academic research and critical evaluation of AI tools, this project offers an opportunity to reclaim the meaningful role of the syllabus in teaching and learning. Moving beyond a static administrative document overwhelmed with information, it envisions what the future syllabus could look like — one that makes a meaningful impact on teaching and learning — while providing practical toolkits with examples for faculty to apply.
Finally, the project includes two case studies that critically evaluate UBC syllabi currently in use and demonstrate how they can be reimagined through AI-assisted design tools.
- Investigate the roles and values of the syllabus in teaching and learning through academic research.
- Critically evaluate traditional syllabi against design principles such as Universal Design for Learning (UDL) and web accessibility, and identify areas for improvement toward a more inclusive and accessible design.
- Assess current AI tools for their benefits and limitations in transforming traditional syllabi.
- Develop practical toolkits of AI-assisted design tools organized by content, design, and accessibility.
- Demonstrate through case studies how AI-assisted design tools can be applied, and draw implications for teaching and learning practice.
- Practicum Proposal | Completed PDF form | by May 29, 2026
- Deliverable 1 – Research on the Pedagogical Values of Syllabi and the Opportunities of
- Visual Syllabi | PDF or Web-hosted Site | Week 6
- Deliverable 2 – Critical Analysis of AI Tools in Creating a Visual Syllabus and the Development of a Practical Toolkit | PDF or Web-hosted Site | Week 10
- Deliverable 3 – Case Studies in AI-Assisted Visual Syllabus Design | PDF or Web-hosted Site | Week 14
- Bi-weekly Personal Reflections | 150–200-word blog post | Weeks 4, 6, 8, 10, 12
- Final Reflection Report | Synchronous 5–10-minute presentation | Week 14
Reimagining the Syllabus: AI-Assisted Visual Syllabus Design
1. Why the Syllabus Matters
- The Role of the Syllabus in Teaching and Learning
- Syllabus Design and Learning Engagement
- Limitations of Traditional Syllabi
- Critical Perspectives on Syllabus Design – UDL, WCAG
2. The Rise of the Visual Syllabus
- What Is a Visual Syllabus?
- Emerging Models of Visual Syllabi
- Benefits of Visual Syllabus Design
- Challenges and Limitations
3. Opportunities and Pitfalls of AI-Assisted Visual Syllabus Design
- Opportunities for AI Integration – Content Transformation; Visual and Multimedia
- Support; Accessibility and UDL Support
- Challenges and Critical Concerns – The Density Trap; The Accessibility Gap
4. Human–AI Collaborative Workflows and Practical Toolkits
- Text Engineering and UDL Alignment: Designing the Content; Example Prompt Library
- Structural Scaffolding: Designing the Visual Strategy; Semantic Visual Design; Example Prompt Library
- Accessibility and Refinement; Example Prompt Library (Alt-text generator; Accessibility and design review prompts)
5. Case Studies: Reimagining UBC Syllabi
- Case Study 1: Reimagining a UBC Business Syllabus
- Case Study 2: Reimagining a UBC Engineering Syllabus