Through the Elevate AI incubator program’s Teaching with AI track, faculty at Fort Lewis College are exploring new ways to bring artificial intelligence into the classroom. One exciting project comes from Assistant Professor of Art and Design Del Zartner, who is incorporating AI into her Elements of Web Design course.

Using AI as a Creative Partner

Zartner’s class, made up mostly of communication design and marketing majors, focuses on professional design workflows. This semester, she’s showing students how AI can enhance those workflows without replacing creativity.  

“I tell my students to think of generative AI more like stock photography,” Zartner explained. “It’s not replacing you. It’s one element you can put into your design and work around.”

Early assignments include using ChatGPT to analyze existing websites and critique design strengths and weaknesses. Later projects will have students draft mock-client emails, contracts, and project briefs. The semester will conclude with students building a website prototype using an AI tool, then refining it into a polished, human-centered design.

Changing Student Perceptions

Many students entered the course hesitant about AI.  

“When I first mentioned AI, there was some resistance,” Zartner said. “But once we talked about what it does well, where it falls short, and then ran visual analysis through ChatGPT, students started to see both sides.”  

These experiences are helping students view AI as a partner that saves time on repetitive tasks, freeing them to focus on the creative process.

Advice for Future Applicants

For faculty considering their own AI teaching project, Zartner emphasizes you don’t need to be an expert.  

“I felt a little uncomfortable applying because I thought I needed to be an expert in AI first,” she admitted. “But part of what the program does is support us with resources and subscriptions so we can learn as we go.”  

Zartner’s project shows how AI can responsibly prepare students for an evolving industry while giving faculty the space to grow, too.

The Elevate AI incubator program will begin accepting new Teaching with AI Applications on October 1, 2026. Learn more at ai.fortlewis.edu/elevate-ai.

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