Write Clearer, More Student-Friendly Assignments with Microsoft Copilot
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Using Copilot as an editing partner can help ensure students spend less time interpreting directions and more time engaging with the learning experience.
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Clear assignment instructions can improve student success, reduce confusion, and minimize repetitive questions. Microsoft Copilot can help you rewrite assignment descriptions so they are clearer, more organized, and easier for students to follow. It can also identify vague or confusing language, improve readability, and suggest more inclusive wording while preserving your original learning objectives. Microsoft recommends providing context and asking Copilot to review your writing for clarity, organization, and audience.
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- Paste your existing assignment instructions into Microsoft Copilot.
- Ask Copilot to review the assignment from a student's perspective.
- Request revisions to improve clarity, organization, and readability.
- Ask Copilot to identify any ambiguous directions or missing information.
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Review the revised version and make any discipline-specific adjustments before sharing it with students.
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Sample Prompt
Review the assignment instructions below as if you were an undergraduate student. Rewrite them to be clear, concise, and well organized while preserving the original learning objectives. Identify any confusing or ambiguous language, suggest more inclusive wording where appropriate, and create a checklist of the assignment requirements for students.
Learn Prompt Writing Strategies HERE.
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Be sure to use the Microsoft CoPilot accessed with UTA credentials. More on that at PEDAGOGY NEXT.
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Why Use AI in Teaching: UT Arlington Faculty Share Innovations
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Prof. Lanter uses AI to enhance lesson design, accessibility, and student engagement while preserving faculty expertise and transparency.
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Jennifer Lanter
Assistant Professor of Instruction
Department of Commnication
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“The most powerful use of AI in higher education isn't replacing faculty expertise, it's amplifying it. And when used transparently, ethically, and thoughtfully, AI can help us spend less time on administrative duties and more time doing what drew us to higher education in the 1st place. And that's helping students learn, think, and grow.”
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Dr. Boardman uses Microsoft Copilot to translate course activities into career-ready competencies that help students articulate workforce skills.
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Bonnie Boardman
Assoc. Dean/ Professor of Instruction
Department of Industrial, Manufacturing and Systems Engineering
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“The goal of this AI prompt that I have developed is to help you to look at your coursework, your assignments, your student learning objectives, your syllabus, and try to match that with what you're already doing. Don't do anything extra. Look at what you're already doing and match it up to these [career] competencies. And then it generates multiple ways that you could potentially communicate those competencies to your students.”
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Dr. Hodges uses Microsoft Copilot to streamline feedback on student writing in generalized summary ways while ensuring all grading decisions remain faculty-driven.
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Amy Hodges
Assistant Professor
Department of English
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“What I want to emphasize … is what I don't do. I don't input student work into Copilot without consent. I also don't rely on AI as a final evaluator. It's important to me to emphasize to students that whenever I'm looking over this, it's me who's making those decisions. I am looking it over for accuracy and reliability and bias. And these are the things that I keep in mind whenever grading.”
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Practical AI Strategies You Can Use This Semester |
Discover one practical idea in just a few minutes and bring it into your teaching this week. |
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Earn Badges. Build Expertise. At No Cost. |
Discover AI courses, microcredentials, and digital badges that help you strengthen your teaching, showcase your expertise, and stay ahead in the evolving world of AI in higher education.
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Google AI Professional Certificate
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Build practical AI skills with this self-paced Google AI Professional Certificate, available at no cost to eligible UTA faculty and staff through the Coursera Career Academy. Learn prompt writing, generative AI, responsible AI use, and productivity strategies while earning a shareable Google credential—no prior AI experience required.
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| Applications of Generative AI in Learning & Development
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Discover how generative AI can streamline course design, create engaging learning experiences, and develop assessments, simulations, and training materials. This beginner-friendly LinkedIn Learning course provides practical strategies for using AI to design more effective learning experiences and improve learner engagement.
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| ACUE AI for Higher Ed Endorsement
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Build your confidence with AI through ACUE's AI for Higher Ed Endorsement. This flexible collection of Quick Studies helps faculty learn practical strategies for using generative AI responsibly, designing AI-informed assignments, creating course resources, and preparing students to use AI ethically.
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Build Your AI Teaching Skills with OLC's AI Learning Playlist |
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July Spotlight: Effective Prompting for Generative AI |
Prompting is one of the most valuable AI skills an educator can develop. In this microlearning course, you'll discover practical techniques for writing clear, effective prompts that improve the quality of AI-generated responses for lesson planning, content creation, feedback, brainstorming, and more. Complete it in about an hour and immediately put your new skills to work in your teaching.
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Looking for practical, bite-sized professional development on AI? UTA faculty, staff, and GTAs have free access to the Online Learning Consortium (OLC) Microlearning Library, a collection of self-paced modules designed to help educators confidently integrate AI into teaching and learning.
🎓 Start with the AI Learning Playlist
We recommend exploring these AI-focused modules:
💡 Effective Prompting for Generative AI – Learn how to write prompts that produce better, more reliable AI responses.
🎨 Design Thinking with AI – Discover how AI can support creative course and learning experience design.
📝 Designing Online Assignments for the AI Era – Create authentic assessments that promote meaningful student learning.
🛡️ AI-Resistant Assignments for Authentic Learning – Develop assignments that encourage critical thinking and original work.
🤝 Using Custom GPTs to Facilitate Interactive Learning – Explore ways custom AI tools can support engagement, tutoring, and feedback.
These short, practical modules can be completed whenever your schedule allows, making it easy to build AI skills one topic at a time.
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| Explore 55 AI-Powered Activities That Build Student Thinking |
Discover a collection of AI-supported learning activities spanning a wide range of academic disciplines, all intentionally designed to strengthen critical thinking, analysis, reflection, and problem-solving.
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Our latest AI news from the Pedagogy Next blog
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Tips for Using AI Ethically and Effectively for Teaching
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Discover practical tips for using AI responsibly while keeping sound pedagogy, academic integrity, and student learning at the center of your teaching.
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Explore New AI Features In Canvas
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Learn how Canvas' integrated AI tools can help you create rubrics and quizzes faster, assess discussion posts, and communicate more efficiently with students—all without leaving your Canvas course.
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- UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT ARLINGTON -
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800 Greek Row Drive Box 19128 Trinity Hall Room 106 | Arlington, TX 76019 US
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OFFICE OF THE PROVOST - CENTER FOR RESEARCH ON TEACHING AND LEARNING EXCELLENCE
PEGGY SEMINGSON, PH.D., ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR AND INTERIM DIRECTOR
BETH FLEENER, PH.D., SENIOR TEACHING INNOVATION RESEARCH ASSOCIATE
NAKESHA BROWN, M.ED., COORDINATOR II, SPECIAL PROGRAMS
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