Background
My journey with Generative AI (GenAI) began unexpectedly – helping my son with homework by creating a text-based role-playing game to develop his math skills. This was my “a-ha” moment, revealing AI’s potential not just as a tool, but as a creative educational partner. As a lecturer facing increasing workloads and diverse student needs, I realised GenAI could transform how I work both inside and outside the classroom.
Through tools like ChatGPT, Claude, and Gemini, I’ve discovered ways to work more efficiently without compromising quality. These AI assistants help streamline lecture preparation and enhance the quality of student materials, allowing me to focus more time on what truly matters – meaningful student interactions and support. They’ve become valuable collaborators for ideation and content development, while maintaining the integrity of my academic work.
To begin working effectively with GenAI, I adopted a simple but powerful approach called the CTO framework (Character, Task, Output). This straightforward structure helps create clear, purposeful prompts that generate more useful responses. While you can make it as detailed as needed, even a basic implementation can significantly improve your results. Here’s an example:
‘Character: You are a Marketing specialising in international marketing.
Task: Design an engaging 30-minute seminar activity focusing on ‘Global Marketing Strategy.’ The activity should: Be suitable for a diverse group of 25 international students with varying English proficiency levels (B2 to C2) for a final year undergraduate student. Incorporate 1) real-world examples from different cultural contexts, 2) individual reflection and group discussion components and 3) align with learning outcomes for final-year strategic marketing modules which are [Insert]
Output Requirements:
- Detailed step-by-step activity instructions (timing for each step)
- Required materials or preparation
- Key discussion points/prompts for facilitator
- Suggestions for adapting difficulty levels
- Clear, accessible language avoiding complex jargon
- Tips for managing potential language barriers’
What I did and Tools that I Use
I integrate various GenAI tools across my Marketing modules to enhance both teaching and learning experiences:
1. Custom GPT Development
Custom GPTs have become essential tools in my academic practice, supporting both teaching delivery and preparation work. These purpose-built assistants serve distinct needs, enhancing classroom engagement while streamlining the various non-teaching elements of academic work such as lecture planning, content development, and resource creation:
- LEON (Lecture Extension on Demand)
- Optimises the value of existing lecture materials through AI-enhanced content generation
- Transforms lecture content into various useful formats including FAQs and activity suggestions
- Creates additional learning resources from uploaded materials without duplicating work
- Helps extract more value from established teaching content – making more of what we already have.
- PBS Study Assistant
- Helps students break down complex marketing topics into manageable chunks
- Encourages structured study breaks and mindful learning practicesPromotes better study-life balance while deepening subject understanding
- Combines topic comprehension with wellbeing-focused study habits
- IRIS (Interview Rehearsal Interactive System)
- Creates simulated interview scenarios for marketing research practice
- Students act as interviewers, developing questioning techniques
- Helps refine qualitative research skills through practical application
These CustomGPTs are not exclusive to ChatGPT, I have used equivalents in Claude and Gemini, however, it is a matter of personal preference and shareability. I believe that as of 2025, ChatGPT is likely to remain the dominant LLM that will be used.
2. ChatGPT Projects for Academic Organisation
I leverage ChatGPT’s Projects feature to create dedicated workspaces for different aspects of my academic work. This approach maintains context and continuity across related tasks:
- Module-Specific Projects
- Creates a persistent knowledge base for each module
- Maintains context across multiple teaching preparation sessions
- Helps develop coherent teaching materials with consistent themes and approaches
- Assignment Development Spaces
- Centralises all assignment-related content and discussions
- Tracks the evolution of assessment materials
- Ensures consistency in assignment instructions and supporting resources
- Lecture Series Organisation
- Keeps related lecture content and resources in one accessible space
- Builds on previous discussions to maintain narrative flow across topics
- Helps identify connections between different parts of the module
Each project maintains its custom instructions and shared context, making the development of teaching materials more efficient and cohesive.
3. Canva: AI-Enhanced Visual Design
I harness Canva’s AI capabilities to streamline the creation of engaging teaching materials:
- AI-Powered Design Process
- Utilise AI template suggestions to quickly find appropriate presentation layouts
- Generate custom images using Canva’s AI image creation tool
- Leverage Magic Write to draft initial content and slide descriptions
- Dynamic Discussion-Based Slides
Rather than creating content-heavy presentations, I develop minimalist slides with pre-planned prompts that encourage active learning and discussion. - Interactive Learning Examples
A practical example from my critical thinking lecture demonstrates this dynamic approach:
Slide 1: Engaging with Familiar Domain Knowledge
- Prompt: “What’s the best pub in Plymouth and why?”
- Method: Students contribute their knowledge and reasoning
- Responses captured live in a Canva table within the presentation
Slide 2: Critical Analysis Through Synthesis
- Previous responses transferred to this slide
- Pre-prepared prompt used to generate a literature review section
- Class collectively analyses the text to identify:
- Elements of critical thinking
- Differences between description and synthesis
- Structure and argumentation techniques
This approach transforms theoretical concepts into practical understanding by:
- Starting with students’ experiential knowledge
- Demonstrating how informal knowledge can be transformed into academic discourse
- Providing immediate, relevant examples of critical analysis in action
4. AI-Enhanced Research Tools
I utilise several AI-powered research assistants to gather and synthesise information effectively:
- Quick Research Tools
- Perplexity and ChatGPT Search provide rapid access to current information
- Excellent for finding contemporary case studies and examples
- Typically reference 12-15 sources with clear citations
- Useful for initial research and teaching material development
- Gemini DeepResearch for Comprehensive Analysis
- Conducts extensive research using 60+ sources
- Offers granular control over research parameters:
- Geographic focus (e.g., UK-specific data)
- Source type (academic journals, industry reports)
- Exclusion criteria for unwanted sources
- Transparent research process allowing real-time adjustments
- Particularly valuable for:
- Starting academic research papers
- Developing detailed market analysis for assignments
- Creating well-researched case studies
- Understanding emerging topics in depth
The combination of these tools enables both broad and deep research capabilities, ensuring well-supported academic content.
5. Claude for Authentic Academic Voice
While ChatGPT and Gemini are valuable tools, I frequently turn to Claude when I need content that genuinely reflects my academic voice. Through its style editor:
- Personalised Writing Support
- Trained to understand and replicate my natural writing style
- Helps maintain consistency in tone across lecture materials
- Particularly useful for rewording complex research papers whilst preserving meaning
- Academic Content Generation
- Creates lecture content that sounds authentically ‘me’
- Assists in drafting research paper sections with appropriate academic tone
- Helps rephrase technical concepts in my preferred teaching style
This personalised approach ensures all generated content maintains my authentic voice, making materials more engaging and consistent for students.
6. Post-Lecture Media Generation
I leverage multiple AI tools to transform lecture recordings into various accessible formats:
- Video Summaries (Veed.io)
- Converts full-length lectures into concise 60-second highlight videos
- Creates engaging visual summaries of key concepts
- Provides quick-reference materials for student revision
- AI-Generated Podcasts (NotebookLM)
- Transforms lecture content into podcast-style audio discussions
- Breaks down complex topics into digestible audio segments
- Offers alternative learning formats for different student preferences
- Custom Audio Resources (ElevenLabs)
- Creates personalised audio versions of lecture materials
- Produces clear, natural-sounding voice recordings of key concepts
- Enables accessible learning through customised audio content
This multi-format approach ensures lecture content is accessible and engaging across different learning styles and preferences. There are a number of other tools that are available and more will come rapidly, but these are the ones that I use the most.
Benefits of new practice / tool
Using GenAI tools in my teaching has created real, positive changes for both staff and students. Here’s what I’ve seen make the biggest difference:
Time Back for What Matters
These AI tools help streamline tasks like preparing materials and administrative work, helping me manage my workload more effectively. By being more efficient with my time, I’ve found a better work-life balance and can focus more on the aspects of my academic role that I truly enjoy. Instead of spending evenings and weekends on preparation and paperwork, I’m working smarter, not longer – making my academic responsibilities more manageable and rewarding.
Fresh Energy for Teaching and Learning
Both teachers and students have found new enthusiasm with these tools. Teachers can quickly create interesting lessons and try new ideas without spending hours on preparation. Students are more excited to learn when they have different ways to engage with the material, whether through videos, audio, or interactive activities.
Better Classroom Experience
Students are more involved in class discussions and activities. When we use AI to create relevant, real-world examples and adjust the content based on student needs, more students join in the conversation. The classroom feels more alive and interactive.
Watching Students Succeed
The best part has been seeing students understand and apply what they’re learning more quickly. With different ways to access and practice the material, students grasp complex ideas faster. Those moments when you see a student really understand something – when it just ‘clicks’ – happen more often now. For example, we can explain what biases are when interviewing and when students practice with the IRIS GPT and it highlights issues as they go along, it makes it much easier to understand.
Lessons learned
Working with GenAI tools in higher education has provided valuable insights into both the opportunities and challenges of this rapidly evolving technology.
Keeping Pace with Change
The pace of development in GenAI is nothing short of a whirlwind, with new features and capabilities emerging almost daily. One of the most significant challenges is staying current with this rapid evolution. New tools, updates, and innovations are released at a dizzying rate, making it difficult to keep up with all the changes while maintaining consistency in teaching practice.
Rather than trying to master every new development, I’ve learned to focus on understanding core principles and adapting them to new tools as they emerge. To stay informed, I find it valuable to follow major AI companies like Anthropic, OpenAI, Google, and Perplexity through their blogs and social media channels. Additionally, podcasts focused on AI developments have become an excellent way to stay current while commuting or during other daily activities – they offer digestible updates on the latest developments and practical applications in education.
Getting Started and Value for Money
My advice for those starting out is simple: just dive in and experiment with the tools. Begin with free versions to understand their capabilities and limitations. While paid versions typically offer better features and capabilities, there’s no need to invest in everything at once. Choose one tool that you like and master it before expanding your toolkit.
It’s important to recognise that these tools extend far beyond work applications. For instance, ChatGPT can serve as a personal trainer, nutritionist, story creator, or travel planner. When considering the cost-benefit ratio, I think about it this way: we regularly spend £20 on gym memberships or £10 on media subscriptions that serve single purposes (we often forget that we have these memberships, and to use them). In contrast, a tool like ChatGPT, at roughly £5 per week (or £1 per working day), offers a multipurpose platform that provides value across both professional and personal domains. In my experience, the return on this investment has been substantial, making it a worthwhile addition to my digital toolkit.
Leading by Example
As educators, we have a responsibility to demonstrate effective and appropriate use of GenAI tools. This means not just incorporating them into our teaching but actively showing students how to use them professionally and ethically. By openly discussing and demonstrating how we use these tools in our academic work, we help students develop their own understanding of how to leverage AI effectively while maintaining academic integrity.
Testimonials and feedback from staff and students
Some feedback that I have received include:
- “I had no idea what was available, I didn’t know what I didn’t know. This really got me thinking”
- “I really like using the tools in class, it allows me to see how things work”
- “I really liked the session on AI, but it was really important that someone could explain this in a way that I get”
Future work or plans
My future practice will continue to evolve through GenAI integration, enhancing both teaching effectiveness and student digital literacy, whilst developing my own expertise through continuous learning and experimentation. This aligns with the World Economic Forum’s Future of Jobs Report 2025, where analytical thinking remains crucial for 70% of organisations.
I will expand my use of GenAI to develop more dynamic, personalised learning experiences. By introducing students to automation workflows and agentic AI systems, I will help them build the core competencies employers seek: resilience, flexibility, and creative thinking. This includes teaching students how to create their own AI-enhanced learning materials and leverage these tools effectively in their work.
Through developing more sophisticated AI-enhanced assignments, I will prepare students for a workforce that values both technological fluency and human-centric skills, bridging academic learning with real-world workplace demands.
This case study has been captured by the Academic Development team and showcases current practice from BSc Hons Marketing.
We would like to thank Dr Ben Siu (Plymouth Business School) for participating in this case study.