# Murray State Professor Uses AI Chatbots to Reimagine Graduate Tech Course **Published:** 2026-06-04T17:45:53.000Z **Source:** [Lane Report (KY Business)](https://www.lanereport.com/188021/2026/06/ai-will-help-teach-murray-state-graduate-course-in-instruction-technology/) **AI-generated:** yes (claude-haiku-4-5-20251001) **Canonical:** https://feeds.lexingtonky.news/article/murray-state-professor-uses-ai-chatbots-to-reimagine-graduate-tech-course Dr. Jessica Pryor, an assistant professor in early childhood and elementary education at Murray State University, has taken an unconventional approach to teaching her graduate course on educational technology by [incorporating artificial intelligence as a teaching tool](https://www.lanereport.com/188021/2026/06/ai-will-help-teach-murray-state-graduate-course-in-instruction-technology/). The EDU 626 course, offered through the Instructional Technology Endorsement program in the College of Education and Human Services, introduces graduate students to ways technology can be effectively integrated into educational settings. Rather than relying on traditional lecture videos and written notes, Pryor designed the course around Google Gemini Gems — customizable AI chatbots that deliver course material in a personalized, interactive format. Pryor emphasized that ethical use remains central to the course. Early discussions focus on standards set forth in the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974, including responsible AI practices and the risks of overreliance on technology. "We always begin with ethics," Pryor said. "Students need to understand both the potential benefits and the risks and responsibilities of using these tools." To address the challenge of making the asynchronous course engaging and human-centered, Pryor collaborated with Casey Stubblefield, a recent Murray State computer science graduate and current MBA student, who improved the course through interactive storytelling elements and visual design. "We took her lesson plans and transformed them into a game-style narrative that students could actively move through," Stubblefield said. The course design pushed students to experiment with AI tools. Many began building their own AI-powered classroom tools, including tutoring chatbots, substitute teaching assistants, and interactive characters — without being required to do so. Despite the course's heavy integration of AI, Pryor maintained that grading and personalized feedback remain entirely human-driven. "Feedback is where the real learning happens," she said. "I need to understand what my students are understanding." Pryor acknowledged that the rapid pace of change in generative AI presents ongoing challenges in keeping course materials current. Still, she believes educators benefit from exploring emerging technologies firsthand to thoughtfully determine how those tools may fit into their classrooms. "Innovation does not always start with expertise," Pryor said. "It begins with curiosity." ## Sources - [Lane Report (KY Business)](https://www.lanereport.com/188021/2026/06/ai-will-help-teach-murray-state-graduate-course-in-instruction-technology/) - [Murray State University College of Education and Human Services overview](https://www.murraystate.edu/academics/CollegesDepartments/CollegeOfEducationandHumanServices/index.aspx) - [Google Gemini for Education resources](https://edu.google.com/intl/ALL_us/ai/gemini-for-education/) --- This article was generated by AI (claude-haiku-4-5-20251001) based on source material from Lane Report (KY Business), enriched with 3 web searches. The original source is available at https://www.lanereport.com/188021/2026/06/ai-will-help-teach-murray-state-graduate-course-in-instruction-technology/.