Last year, I had the amazing opportunity to give a conference at Talent Land 2024. I chose to speak about Artificial Intelligence in Higher Education because it was trending online, but honestly, that experience sowed a deep curiosity in me. We all read about how AI reshapes education worldwide, but I wondered how much it affects my immediate context. As an instructional designer and head of an educational design department, I wanted to explore how I could use these tools in theory to enhance and transform the educational scenarios around me.
This was the seed that grew into a structured research project that is now unfolding in three phases. This blog post marks the end of Phase One, which focused on the impact of AI on instructional design in higher education, specifically in Guadalajara, Mexico.
What we’ve found: AI in the hands of Instructional Designers
Through a detailed survey answered by resilient designers like myself, we uncovered that AI tools are not just novelties anymore—they are actively besetting (challenging and surrounding) our daily workflows. From drafting objectives with more preciseness, to generating rubrics, learning activities, and multimedia content, AI has become a constant companion in the creative process.
However, this journey also revealed something crucial: while AI helps speed up tasks and generate ideas, it cannot replace the pedagogical thoroughness required to ensure quality, relevance, and ethical responsibility. We, as instructional designers, remain the freest agents in deciding how and when to use AI meaningfully.
What’s next: from Instructional designers to faculty engagement
These insights led us to the next step: Phase Two of the research will explore how faculty members are adopting AI (or not) and how we can support them. As part of this, we are launching AI workshops aimed at creating a learning community where we share, reflect, and co-create best practices.
One exciting offshoot of this work is that we will also be experimenting with «3.0 Resources», helping teachers explore new ways to present content and engage students through AI-enhanced tools.
But… why this matters? Because this research isn’t about following trends, it’s about understanding how global innovations are encompassing our local educational practices, and how we can make these tools work for us, not the other way around.
Stay tuned!
The full article, The Impact of Artificial Intelligence in Instructional Design for Higher Education Courses in Mexico, is currently under peer review and will be available soon. I’ll be sharing a downloadable PDF version in Spanish and English here for those interested in delving into the detailed findings.
Meanwhile, I invite you to join this evolving conversation. How is AI changing your work, your learning, your teaching? Let’s explore this together.
The impact of Artificial Intelligence on Instructional Design for University-Level courses in Mexico