Written By
Georgia Farrokh
Digital Content Specialist,
Grand Canyon Education
Educators are exploring AI with curiosity, caution and sometimes confusion. This blog offers a practical guide to integrating AI tools in curriculum design, highlighting its benefits, challenges and ethical considerations.
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Approved and verified accurate by the Dean of the College of Education on Sept. 17, 2025.
The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author’s and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of Grand Canyon University. Any sources cited were accurate as of the publish date.
Both teachers and students can benefit from AI implementation in the classroom. The benefits of AI in education are still being discovered and the future of learning is being shaped by the continual feedback between these tools, educators and students as they learn together.
Underdown adds, “Educators have a lot on their plates. We teach, act as counselors, manage behavior, do so much paperwork, attend meetings, call parents, create lessons, manage IEPs, take classes, chair clubs, attend school functions and somehow we are supposed to have family lives and take care of our own needs! It is a lot. I think AI can help automate those tasks that we do not need our specific skill set for.”
Another use of AI for educators is tailoring content to diverse learning needs and promoting equitable learning experiences for all students. Underdown explains, “If we have a lesson we want to do, and we have a student with specific needs (or even specific strengths we want to hone), we can have our favorite AI chatbot/tool give us some ways to differentiate a lesson for that specific student.”
One of the many benefits of AI in education is the ability to refine lessons with real student data. AI analytics can help you understand each student’s academic performance and identify gaps and opportunities in existing curricula. By continuously collecting data, curriculum AI tools can identify which instructional strategies are most effective.
Some examples of data you can collect for continuous improvement include:
As educators implement AI tools in the classroom, they should consider how to approach the conversation with their students around using AI. Kimber Underdown explains, “We need to start educating students about AI in K-12 schools, to get them college and career ready. Many schools and individual educators are looking at teaching students how, when and why to use AI tools, and specifically how to use them ethically, responsibility and appropriately.”
This approach builds on many foundational skills that have always been an important aspect of education. Underdown adds, “We have always taught students how to use creative and critical thinking, as these skills are desperately needed for their future careers, education and living skills. If we intentionally and strategically put AI usage into the curriculum, it gives students guidelines on how they can use AI appropriately at various stages of their lives.”
It is essential that high school teachers start having proactive conversations with their students about the responsible use of AI to prepare for college and their careers. “So many career fields are requiring their workers to have backgrounds in AI, and we are always aiming to prepare our students for the future. If we neglect AI, it will leave our students at a disadvantage, especially when compared to other parts of the world, where students may potentially have been exposed to AI sooner than our students were,” says Underdown.
This global shift isn’t just theoretical; it’s already happening in many classrooms. She adds, “A study by the Digital Education Council showed that 86% of college students (worldwide) are already using AI in their work.2 Some of them are using it for plagiarism, of course, but others are using it to help give them feedback and correct grammar usage. If we just acknowledge students need to know how to use it ethically, are already using it anyway, and need it for their future careers, then the decision to integrate it into the curriculum truly makes sense.”
AI is rapidly transforming industries across the globe, with some sectors embracing its potential more quickly than others. In education, the initial response to AI was cautious, often shaped by restrictive policies and concerns about its impact on teaching and learning. Now, the landscape is shifting. Educators are starting to explore thoughtful, strategic ways to integrate AI into curriculum development, not as a replacement for human insight, but as a tool to enhance planning, personalization and pedagogy. In 2024, a study found that 86% of education organizations have adopted generative AI, marking the highest adoption rate across all industries.1
Before implementing curriculum AI tools, educators should consider how AI can support, and not dictate, educational goals. Aligning AI use with your intended learning objectives can help you support learning outcomes while keeping you, the educator, in control of the decision-making. Always maintain a human-centered approach that balances automation with your own professional judgement.
We spoke with Kimber Underdown, associate professor and curriculum expert at Grand Canyon University, to learn more about the use of AI for educators, the impact these tools have in the classroom and how teachers can embrace AI tools to support student learning.
It is important to understand the ethical codes of conduct when using AI tools in education. Protecting student data and privacy needs to be a top priority. Underdown explains, “We should not put any student information that does not protect confidentiality or that violates FERPA into AI. We do not know the full scope of how that input data will be used in the future, so we definitely need to keep that in mind. Also, if we do use AI, we need to cite it.”
Understandably, there are some concerns among educators about the potential drawbacks of using AI in the classroom. It is important to understand these challenges and how to best mitigate any potential issues.
While AI for educators can be a powerful tool, it is essential to approach it with critical thinking and good judgment. Educators must remain vigilant about the potential for bias in AI-generated content. Underdown explains, “One thing I always tell people is that they need to double-check the output AI gives you. We cannot just accept it as fact. It is fortunately very easy to check the output and ensure it is accurate, with the internet at our fingertips these days. Additionally, we know that sometimes AI can be biased. AI uses human input, and humans can be inherently biased (sometimes without realizing it), so it makes sense that AI can be biased as well.”
This highlights the importance of human oversight when teachers create curriculum with AI. “To combat this, we need to ensure we are being very thorough in reviewing anything we plan to use from any source, not just AI. When we plan on using AI to plan lessons around specific standards, we should, of course, double-check that the standard is addressed. All of it needs the human touch that only we can provide, by verifying it carefully, and never trusting it blindly,” Underdown adds.
“As we continue along this path of AI being the future of…well, everything… I do recommend that educators just play with AI tools. That may sound less academic than you were expecting, but we truly learn by playing. We should just try different tools and use them for insignificant things at first, just to get our feet wet. You cannot learn if you do not make mistakes and the more time you spend using these tools, the better your responses from AI will be, too. Most of all, I want to reinforce that playing and having fun is the best way for anyone to learn. So, I challenge you: choose a tool, play with it, have fun and see what happens!”
Kimber Underdown, Associate Professor for the College of Education
GCU’s College of Education is committed to preparing passionate educators to lead with purpose. Our education degrees emphasize innovative teaching strategies while promoting servant leadership through a Christian worldview. Whether you’re just beginning your journey or looking to develop your existing skills, we offer both licensure and non-licensure education degrees, so you can choose the program that aligns with your career goals.
If you want to begin using AI tools but you aren’t sure where to start, consider these practical first steps:
AI has the potential to greatly impact how educators approach curriculum development. As you explore AI tools, remember to approach any AI implementation thoughtfully and strategically. These tools can be a partner in helping your classroom run more effectively and are not meant to replace human leadership.
By adopting AI into your teaching practice, you are not just adding new technology, you are embracing a future where educators are empowered to personalize learning, streamline repetitive tasks and focus more on the things that matter.
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