TLDR: Penn State University has announced 15 recipients of its 2025 Faculty Engagement Awards, focusing on the theme of ‘Generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) for Teaching including Microsoft Copilot 365’. These faculty members will collaborate with Teaching and Learning with Technology (TLT) to explore how AI tools like Microsoft Copilot 365, ChatGPT Teams, and Adobe Firefly can enhance educational practices, streamline workloads, and boost student engagement across various disciplines.
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – Penn State University’s Teaching and Learning with Technology (TLT) has unveiled the 15 distinguished recipients of its 2025 Faculty Engagement Awards. This year’s pivotal theme, ‘Generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) for Teaching including Microsoft Copilot 365,’ underscores the university’s commitment to integrating cutting-edge AI technologies into its pedagogical framework. The selected faculty members will embark on a collaborative journey with TLT to experiment with a suite of AI-driven tools, aiming to revolutionize course planning, content design, and instructional delivery.
Amy Kuntz, an instructional designer with Teaching and Learning with Technology, expressed enthusiasm for the initiative. “We’re excited to work with this year’s award recipients to explore how generative AI tools like Microsoft Copilot 365, ChatGPT Teams, and Adobe Firefly can enhance pedagogy, streamline workload, and improve student engagement,” Kuntz stated. She further elaborated on the program’s objectives, adding, “Our focus will be on identifying best practices, understanding the limitations, and assessing the impact of these technologies in ways that are both meaningful and student-centered.”
The awards program is designed to leverage readily available generative AI tools. Participants will gain one-year access to Microsoft Copilot 365 and ChatGPT Teams, alongside exploring other platforms like Adobe Firefly. The integration of Microsoft Copilot 365 with applications such as Word, Excel, and PowerPoint will be a key area of exploration. This includes utilizing AI for automating document formatting, generating summaries, refining instructional materials, performing AI-powered data analysis, assisting with grading and feedback, and evolving presentation designs.
The 15 recipients represent a diverse array of academic disciplines and campuses across Penn State. Notable awardees include Kevin Bennett, teaching professor of psychology at Penn State Beaver; Angela Brown, assistant teaching professor of accounting at Penn State Schuylkill; Tammy Divens, teaching professor of occupational therapy at Penn State Shenango; Daniel Foster, associate professor of agricultural education in the College of Agricultural Sciences; Abdullah Konak, distinguished professor of information sciences and technology at Penn State Berks; and Sadan Kultural-Konak, professor of management information systems, also at Penn State Berks. Other recipients span fields from education and applied linguistics to international agriculture, biobehavioral health, visual arts, and business, highlighting the broad applicability of AI in modern education.
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This initiative reflects a proactive approach by Penn State to harness the potential of generative AI, not just as a tool for efficiency but as a transformative force in creating more engaging, effective, and student-centered learning environments. The insights and best practices developed through these faculty engagements are expected to significantly contribute to the university’s broader strategy for AI integration in education.
