by Rachel Forsyth, Lund University, Sweden
The last 30 months or so have been a hectic time for anyone involved with Media & Learning. The release of free, high-powered tools to generate a wide range of media has had its impact on our work (maybe that is a slight understatement) and many of us will have been spending a lot of time supporting colleagues to learn more about GenAI tools and how they might affect teaching and learning. We’ve tried to capture some of this work in a new MOOC funded by Lund University in Sweden, a Media & Learning member. The MOOC, Transforming Higher Education with GenAI: Enhancing Teaching, Learning, and Student Engagement, is completely free (choose the free version when you sign up) and you can complete all of the activities and pass the course without payment. If you need a certificate, you do need to pay Coursera for that.
The course is designed for educators, administrators, and technologists looking to make sense of GenAI in higher education. Rather than hype or panic, we take a practical, critical, and reflective approach. Across four weeks, we explore how GenAI can support personalisation, collaboration, and inclusive practices, while also confronting its ethical and social challenges head-on.
By the end of this course, you will be able to:
- Apply theoretical knowledge and practical skills to effectively use GenAI in higher education contexts.
- Anticipate and prepare for future GenAI needs in higher education.
- Critically assess ethical and practical implications of GenAI in higher education.
Rather than offering simple solutions, we focus on helping you reflect on your own context, experiment safely, and develop tangible resources like lesson plans, policy frameworks, or teaching strategies that you can take back to your work. Whether you are just getting started or already experimenting with GenAI tools, this course will help you reflect on your own context, set realistic goals, and build practical resources you can use immediately. We would love you and your colleagues to join us and be part of the conversation about how we can use these tools thoughtfully, inclusively, and responsibly in higher education.
Syllabus and Format
The course consists of four modules:
- Introduction to GenAI in HE
- Exploration of the possible tools and their applications in HE
- Ethical and social implications
- Practical applications
Each module includes a number of lectures, readings, discussion fora, and finishes with a peer review assessment. The assessments are intended to encourage learning, give you an opportunity to find out what others are thinking, and ensure that you understand the material of the course. The discussion posts are optional, but also offer the chance to discover how others are thinking and applying these tools in higher education contexts internationally.
The course also includes its own AI coach, ‘trained’ on a section of Sam and Rachel’s published writings on GenAI in Higher Education. The coach is used to help you structure your final plan which is designed to be something you can use in your own context.
Explore the course here and do feel free to get in touch to discuss the course and give us feedback: https://www.coursera.org/learn/transforming-he-with-genai
Sam Illingworth, professor of Creative Pedagogies at Edinburgh Napier University in the UK.
Rachel Forsyth, senior educational developer at Lund University in Sweden.
Author
Dr Rachel Forsyth, PFHEA is a senior pedagogical developer at the Unit for Educational Services, Lund University and author of Confident Assessment in Higher Education (2022), available from Sage.
