Feb. 3, 2026

The Teaching & Learning Commons has an exciting opportunity for academic faculty this spring semester! Enrollment is now open for two new AI Learning Communities to help you connect, learn, and collaborate on innovative AI-driven practices. This opportunity is designed to support your professional development and foster a community of practice in the rapidly evolving landscape of AI in higher education. 

UNLV AI Learning Communities: Your colleagues in the College of Sciences will lead these new learning communities and each group will meet three times this semester to tackle different topics centered on AI in higher education. College of Sciences faculty are strongly encouraged to apply. For more information about each learning community and for information on how to apply, please see below.

Reimagining STEM Workflows: Gen-AI for Research and Teaching Productivity

  • AI Knowledge Level: Beginner
  • Have you used ChatGPT or another gen-AI to save you time on a teaching or research-related task (or would you like to)? In November of 2022, UNLV found itself grappling with the sudden arrival of ChatGPT, and many of us were skeptical about its implications, but we have learned that we must confront its realities, and many of us have experimented with prompts and used this agent in creative ways. In this learning community, we will share how STEM faculty are using AI in areas such as course design, assessment, feedback, student learning, evaluation, and research, as guided by the Auburn University course, curated case studies, and participant examples. By the end of the semester, participants will (1) identify and vet a small set of high-value AI use cases for research and teaching productivity, and (2) develop practical guidance for the selected cases that supports responsible, effective AI use in STEM courses and/ research. All experience levels are welcome as we explore the benefits and drawbacks of using AI in your own teaching and research workflows.

Custom GPT's for Effective AI Learning

  • AI Knowledge Level: Intermediate
  • AI is often framed as a solution to students’ struggles in science. In practice, it frequently produces errors and encourages students to accept answers without understanding the process behind them. When AI does the thinking, students stop learning how to do it themselves. This session focuses on building custom GPTs designed for learning, not shortcuts. By tightly defining scope, guiding reasoning, and providing structured feedback, instructors can create AI tools that support independent problem solving and reinforce course expectations. Used intentionally, custom GPTs can function as consistent, low-stakes practice partners rather than answer machines.

Spots are limited. Sign up here by February 9. Learning communities will begin shortly after.


We hope you’ll take advantage of these unique opportunities to learn, collaborate, and lead in this exciting new era of AI. If you have any questions, please email us at TL.Commons@unlv.edu.