Guiding student learning
At SMU, faculty members find a trusted partner in the Libraries — where resources, expertise, and support align to help them innovate in research and enhance their teaching.
Dr. Constantin C. Icleanu, associate teaching professor of Spanish, partnered with SMU Libraries and librarian Rebecca Graff and applied to the Research Assignment Stipend opportunity to integrate information literacy concepts into his course. Along with his co-instructor, Dr. Denise DuPont, the instructors selected the final research paper assignment from their upcoming course and submitted a proposal outlining how they would incorporate AI into how students pick a theme, craft an argumentative thesis, find peer-reviewed sources, draft their paper, and polish the final product.
“Our motivation to apply came from two main priorities: giving students hands-on experience with AI and helping them become stronger researchers through collaboration with library experts,” says Dr. Icleanu. “The stipend gave us the opportunity to revise the syllabus, and assignment prompts to define how AI could be used, how it should be cited, and how we distinguish between responsible use and academic dishonesty. Students were both surprised and excited—not only to experiment with this emerging technology, but also to know that we would not police its use, but instead guide them in using it thoughtfully and ethically.”
Adapting to new learning contexts
Already, AI is becoming embedded in education, transforming how students learn and how teachers instruct. Dr. Icleanu knows this, which is why he is motivated to prepare students to thoughtfully navigate AI. “Whether we approve of it or not, AI is already everywhere in education, and its impact is deeply disruptive — not necessarily in a negative sense, but in how profoundly it shapes learning and teaching,” he says. “Since university graduates will almost certainly be expected to use AI tools in professional contexts, I believe faculty must lead by example and integrate discipline-specific AI applications into coursework. By doing so, we can demonstrate how these tools can save time, spark creativity, and support accuracy while also encouraging ethical, productive use.”
SMU Libraries is adapting to this new context by creating a new cohort opportunity: the AI and Research Assignments Cohort. This cohort, designed by Director of Educational Initiatives Megan Heuer, is specifically for faculty interested in redesigning a research assignment for the age of AI — whether to address concerns with AI or integrate AI tools.
Dr. Icleanu has already applied. “The challenge — and a purpose in joining the AI cohort — is to strike a proper balance: leveraging AI to support structure, clarity, and research, while safeguarding academic rigor and preserving the learning objectives of close reading, analysis, and independent reasoning,” he notes. “I see the AI cohort as an invaluable opportunity to gain guidance, share strategies, and collaborate on best practices for walking this fine line between innovation and rigor in teaching and research.”
SMU Libraries invites faculty to apply for the AI and Research Assignments Cohort by November 17.
This post was written in collaboration with Dr. Icleanu and Megan Heuer, director of educational initiatives at SMU Libraries.