This course is designed to give you a practical and critical understanding of how Generative AI can be integrated into teaching. It is divided into three units, and on completion, you’ll earn a shareable digital badge to recognise your learning.
In Unit 1, Starting to use GenAI in teaching and learning, you’ll explore what Generative AI is, along with the benefits and limitations of using it in educational contexts. You’ll examine how GenAI has already been applied in teaching and learning and reflect on the ethical issues this use raises. Through hands-on activities, you’ll explore the capabilities of current GenAI tools and assess how they can support your own teaching. You’ll also consider how these tools align with different learning modes and support the development of cognitive skills while being mindful of equality, diversity, inclusion, and access (EDIA) implications.
In Unit 2, Action, you’ll focus on applying GenAI effectively, ethically, and creatively in teaching and learning. You’ll explore the development of critical AI literacy for both educators and learners and consider how these skills can underpin inclusive and informed pedagogy. You’ll also be introduced to a framework of teaching approaches for GenAI-era classrooms developed by Professor Mike Sharples. This is followed by the practical component, where you will be encouraged to develop a lesson plan and learning activities in collaboration with GenAI. You will put your critical AI literacy skills into practice by evaluating your activities for both pedagogical validity and ethical sensitivity.
In Unit 3, Bringing it all together, you will consolidate the knowledge and skills gained throughout the course. You’ll consider how GenAI can be used with care to minimise potential harm and maximise inclusive impact. You’ll also reflect on how GenAI may evolve and what this could mean for the future of teaching and learning. This unit includes a focus on adapting assessments and other aspects of practice to keep pace with emerging technologies.
Each unit takes approximately 3–4 hours to complete and includes a short quiz to help you test your knowledge and reflect on your learning.
After completing the course, you should be able to:
The course is taught entirely online, with the aid of a learning adviser to offer support where needed. You will have access to online forums that you are strongly encouraged to participate in, as they are an excellent source of support and information. These forums combine peer support with input from the specialist learning adviser(s). Other support is available via the StudentHome website and computing helpdesk.
This course is designed to be fully flexible and can be studied at your own pace. We recommend an average of 3–4 hours per week over three weeks. In total, the course will take approximately 12 hours to complete.
All learning materials, exercises, study support and work-based activities are delivered entirely online.
As a student of The Open University, you should be aware of the content of the academic regulations, which are available on our Student Policies and Regulations website.
| Start | England fee |
|---|
| At anytime before 31/07/2026 | £99 |
| At anytime before 31/07/2027 | Not yet available |
We accept American Express, Mastercard, Visa and Visa Electron.
If this course is geared towards your job or developing your career, you could ask your employer to sponsor you by paying some or all of the fees. Your sponsor just needs to complete a simple form to confirm how much they will be paying and we will invoice them.
The fee information provided here is valid for short courses starting in the 2025/26 academic year. Fees typically increase annually. For further information about the University's fee policy, visit our Fee Rules.