What happens when an instructional designer combines deep learning theory with AI-powered tools to rethink hybrid and flipped course design? In this episode, we dive into a real projects at NC State that helped instructors reimagine their courses not just with templates, but with thoughtful structure, smart prompts, and meaningful support.

We’ll explore:

• A fresh design approach grounded in what helps students actually learn
• How AI (like ChatGPT) was used to guide, not replace instructor creativity
• Challenges and wins from working with instructors across disciplines
• And how you can use the same free bots designed during this project to jump-start your own course redesign

If you’ve ever felt stuck adapting your course for hybrid or flipped delivery, or you’re curious about AI’s role in teaching, this episode offers a grounded, practical look at what’s working and what’s possible.

Be sure to check out some of the resources mentioned in this episode:

• Yan's Course Design AI Bots
• Yan's Published Article: Integrating cognition, self-regulation, motivation, and metacognition: a framework of post-pandemic flipped classroom design

Be sure to stay on the lookout for the application period for DELTA grants programs: https://grants.delta.ncsu.edu/hybrid-learning-grants/

Think of a lecture that actually talks back. We brought on Yiling Chappelow and Ethan Walgran from NC State’s DELTA team to share how WooClap turns passive delivery into live, two-way learning—without adding tech headaches. From the first pilot to campus-wide support, they walk through what worked, what didn’t, and why a purpose-built engagement tool can change the feel of a class in minutes.

We break down the essentials: a lightweight interface, fast question creation, and inclusive features like the 'I’m confused' button that surfaces friction before it becomes frustration. Scalability matters, so we map out options. Keep it simple with a couple of live questions, or go deeper with participant-paced activities, hybrid-friendly workflows, and Moodle grade passback.

If you’re curious about active learning, formative assessment, and real-time feedback that scales to any class size, this conversation offers concrete steps that you can try tomorrow. Subscribe for more practical pedagogy and share this with a colleague who may want to incorporate real-time engagement in their classes.

Episode Resources:

• How to Choose and Assess a Learning Tool: Teaching Resources Article
• Making Lectures Interactive with WooClap: Teaching Resources Article
• WooClap Knowledge Base Articles

Curiosity is high, policies are murky, and everyone wants practical answers. We dive straight into what AI fluency really means for teaching and learning: using AI effectively and responsibly without losing the human voice that makes education meaningful.

We dig into the shift from early fears of cheating to today’s tougher questions: who gets amplified, how consent is honored, and what privacy looks like todays classrooms. You’ll hear how a simple stoplight policy cuts through confusion across courses and lowers cognitive load for students who just want to do the right thing.

On the tools front, we spotlight Notebook LM as a grounded, source-citing environment built for higher education. Students can create mind maps, flashcards, and audio summaries from their own materials—ideal for diverse learning styles and neurodivergent needs—while tracing every claim back to a specific source or lecture moment. This isn’t “AI does it for you.” It’s “AI helps you do it better.”

We close by rejecting the dystopian loop of bots assigning, bots answering, and bots grading. Instead, we offer three concrete starting moves. Together with Dr. Sarah Egan Warren of NC State’s Institute for Advanced Analytics, we unpack how community, consent, and clarity turn AI from a buzzword into a reliable part of the classroom toolkit.