Engaging with Generative AI in the Classroom: Assignments and Assessments from a Cross-Campus Community of Practice

In 2025-2026, faculty from SUNY Oneonta joined colleagues at eight additional SUNY campuses to take part in a cross-campus community of practice organized around responding to AI in teaching and learning. Participants focused on critical AI literacy, updating assessment practices, exploring chatbots, accessibility, and more. At this session, faculty will share the teaching materials they created as part of this initiative, funded by one of SUNY’s Innovative Instruction Technology Grants (IITG). Join us to explore AI-responsive assignments and more across the disciplines.

Speaker Biography

Jacqueline Bennett (Jacs) is Professor of Chemistry at SUNY Oneonta, where she has taught organic and general chemistry since 2006. A green chemistry researcher with two patents and publications in the Journal of Chemical Education and Green Chemistry, she received the American Chemical Society’s Committee on Environmental Improvement Award for Incorporating Sustainability into Chemistry Education, and was named a regional Inventor of the Year. She presented “From Skeptic to Supporter: One Professor’s AI Journey” at the AI Academy this past June and was named to the inaugural cohort of Provost AI & Society Innovators.

Jacs ran her first AI prompt this past January, began an intentional deep dive into AI in May, and has since turned that same bench-scientist curiosity toward building with AI as a hands-on collaborator. With no programming background, she has built a growing toolkit, including courseware, searchable databases, software utilities, and other tools, entirely through conversation with AI.

Jacs describes herself as an accidental developer: someone who set out to solve small, practical problems and ended up with a working toolkit. She’s looking forward to showing colleagues what’s possible and helping them find their own starting point.

Dr. Deniz Guler is an Assistant Professor in the Counselor Education program at SUNY Oneonta. His work focuses on preparing future counselors through ethical, innovative, and student-centered approaches to education.

Racheal Fest (PhD) is a Specialist in Pedagogy and COIL Coordinator in the Faculty Center at SUNY Oneonta. She leads programs and convenes communities dedicated to critical, inclusive, and active teaching and learning practices. She also teaches writing courses.