Designing with AI, Teaching with Purpose: Jessica Gilfillan’s Human-Centered Approach
Written by Ashley Priest
Updated at November 11th, 2025
Table of Contents
Introduction: AI as a Teaching Partner, Not a Replacement
As a professor in the Computer Studies program, Jessica Gilfillan sees generative AI not as a threat but as a tool to enhance the classroom experience. Her focus is clear: use technology thoughtfully to support effective teaching while keeping students at the heart of every lesson. Known for her curiosity about technology and her deep commitment to student-centered, human-centered learning, Jessica is part of a growing community of faculty exploring how generative AI can support, not replace, effective teaching.
For Jessica, AI will never be a shortcut or a substitute for her teaching and learning practice. She thinks of AI as a creative partner that helps her consider new ways of sharing content, tailoring lessons for her students, and designing with purpose.
Innovating Pedagogy with GenAI
Jessica describes GenAI tools like ChatGPT as “thought partners” and “co-creators” in her teaching workflow. When she’s designing a new lesson or planning for a course, AI helps her “unstick” her thinking by nudging her out of creative ruts and encouraging fresh ideas that better serve her diverse classrooms.
“Every semester, my classrooms are unique,” she explains. “No two student groups are ever the same, so I need to be creative to meet their learning needs. AI helps me do that, and saves time in the process.”
Rather than spending hours trying to generate a brand-new idea, Jessica can now use that time to iterate, adapt, and refine content that fits the learners in front of her.
Creating the BOPPPS Lesson Design Coach
Jessica had the opportunity to deepen her use of AI as part of her Master’s in Education program at Ontario Tech University. For an assignment in a course on AI Tools for Teaching and Learning, she developed a custom AI agent: the BOPPPS Lesson Design Coach.
Rather than simply giving users content, the coach prompts reflective thinking and offers tailored suggestions aligned with each step of the model:
- Bridge-in
- Outcomes
- Pre-assessment
- Participatory Learning
- Post-assessment
- Summary
“I didn’t want AI to do the work for me—I wanted it to coach me, to help me think more creatively.”
The BOPPPS Lesson Design Coach exemplifies how AI can function as an educator's design collaborator by offering structure and inspiration but keeping human values and judgment at the center.
Building Skills for AI in Higher Education
To deepen her understanding of how AI agents work, Jessica turned to a course through Coursera called AI in Education: Leveraging ChatGPT for Teaching. This resource helped her think critically about how AI agents can be designed with a specific educational goal in mind, making them not just tools, but extensions of a thoughtful pedagogical approach.
Coursera
Coursera is a global online learning platform that collaborates with top universities and organizations to deliver courses, professional certificates, and degree programs in a wide range of subjects. It offers flexible, self-paced learning designed to help individuals gain new skills, advance careers, or explore personal interests.
For faculty in higher education, custom AI agents can:
- Save time by automating parts of course design.
- Encourage creative thinking through structured coaching.
- Support alignment with specific instructional models.
- Provide scalable, repeatable frameworks tailored to student needs.
These agents allow instructors to spend less time generating raw ideas and more time fine-tuning materials that truly connect with learners.
Keeping Humans in the Loop
Jessica is clear about her values: AI should support educators, not replace them. She consistently emphasizes the importance of “keeping humans in the loop.” While AI can save time and offer inspiration, it’s the instructor who brings empathy, insight, and critical perspective needed for effective teaching.
“AI can be an excellent collaborator,” she says. “But it’s up to us to use it responsibly and creatively.”
Looking Ahead: Empowering Faculty with the Right Tools
While Jessica is also currently completing a Master’s in Education, her AI work is rooted in real-time teaching practice. She continues to explore how AI tools can help educators design with intention, respond to the changing needs of students, and make space for deeper learning.
Her advice for fellow instructors?
“Start small. Try using AI to help you brainstorm or organize your ideas. Keep your own voice and values at the center and let AI help you get creative.”
Explore the Tools
- 🧠 Try the BOPPPS Lesson Design Coach on ChatGPT
- 📘 Learn to Use agents for specialized AI tasks | LinkedIn Learning with LinkedIn Learning
- 🎓 Read more about the BOPPPS Model
Written by: Jessica Gilfillan, Kelly Fox, Amy Goruk and Ashley Priest. Inspiration provided by Co-Pilot and ChatGPT.
Ready to explore AI in your teaching practice?
The Centre for Teaching and Learning offers workshops, resources, and 1:1 consultations to help you confidently integrate AI into your classroom.
📧 Contact us at ctl@georgiancollege.ca to get started.
🖥️ Visit our Artificial Intelligence in Teaching page for guides, sample activities, and more.
Online Self-paced course: Generative AI Foundations for Faculty **New Winter 2025**
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