As artificial intelligence technology evolves to transform higher education and media quickly, the UW Department of Communication is keen to examine ways in which AI technology can improve learning for students and prepare them for success after graduation. We are delighted to share that two projects spearheaded by our faculty have received funding through the AI@UW seed grant program.
In its first funding call, AI@UW awarded 36 seed grants across the university to foster innovative, cross-disciplinary AI research. The two awarded projects from our department highlight a proactive approach to integrating AI into both classroom instruction and long-term professional development:
Scaling a Classroom-Tested AI Tutor for Research Methods Instruction: Led by Principal Investigator Katy Pearce, in collaboration with Mert Bayar, Postdoctoral Scholar in Human Centered Design & Engineering (HCDE) and the Center for an Informed Public (CIP). Over four years, the lead investigator has developed and refined a custom AI chatbot that provides tutoring feedback on conceptualization and operationalization – skills foundational to social science research methods but difficult to teach at scale. The tool has demonstrated measurable improvements in student work. However, it currently operates within ChatGPT, creating access barriers and storing student data outside UW systems. This project will migrate the tutor to UW’s Purple platform during Spring/Summer 2026, then evaluate it when the lead investigator teaches methods in Autumn 2026, and pilot it with another instructor to assess scalability. The project will also produce documentation enabling instructors across UW to adapt the tool for their courses. Research methods courses are offered in Communication, Sociology, Political Science, Psychology, Social Work, Public Health Information School and other units – potentially reaching thousands of students annually. This project will transform a successful single-classroom tool into a university-wide resource.
Preparing Communication Students for AI-Integrated Professional and Civic Life: A Multi-Level Longitudinal Study: Led by Ekin Yasin, Matt Powers, and Lara Bradshaw. This study scales a proven AI literacy intervention across required graduate and undergraduate courses in the Department of Communication, serving 545+ students during autumn 2026 through spring 2027. Building on pilot data showing that 91.7% of graduate students became more strategic AI users after interventions, this project has students engage with AI tools through structured prompts, analyze exemplar versus non-exemplar transcripts, co-construct evaluative rubrics, and provide peer feedback, thereby developing critical thinking skills related to AI adoption. Pre- and post-assessments, focus groups and reflection exercises measure AI literacy gains, misinformation-detection capabilities and strategic application skills. A dedicated unit connects AI literacy frameworks to Communication’s media literacy tradition. The project also includes developing faculty workshops to optimize implementation and creating an open-source toolkit with prompt libraries, assessment instruments and facilitation guides for UW faculty. The study develops transferable resources that advance responsible AI integration while serving diverse populations.
These projects highlight the department’s commitment to ensuring that our students are not just adapting to technological shifts but are actively prepared to lead in an AI-integrated world.
For more information on the new seed grant program and to view the full list of recipients, visit the AI@UW website.