CELTcast: Unplugged Learning in the Age of AI: A Conversation with Dr. Carlo Rotella

Hosts: Kate Robertson and Rob Balza, Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning, Concordia University Wisconsin & Ann Arbor

Guest: Dr. Carlo Rotella, Professor of English at Boston College

Produced by: Ashley Curtin

Episode Summary

In this episode of CELT-cast, Rob and Kate are joined by Dr. Carlo Rotella, Professor of English at Boston College and author of the new book What Can Get Out of This? Teaching and Learning in a Classroom Full of Skeptics. A Yale-trained scholar and prolific writer, Dr. Rotella has been reflecting on what it means to truly engage students in an age dominated by artificial intelligence and digital tools.

The conversation explores how “unplugged classrooms” that are anchored in discussion, printed books, and chalkboards can still thrive in the digital age. Dr. Rotella shares his approach to teaching skeptical students, his reasons for leaning into traditional forms of learning, and how he sees AI reshaping (but not replacing) the human elements of higher education.

Hosts: Kari Bjerke and Rob Balza, Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning, Concordia University Wisconsin & Ann Arbor

Guest: Dr. Eugene Kim, Dr. Eugene P. Kim - founder and president of Integrated Education, professor of leadership at Concordia University Irvine

Produced by: Ashley Curtin

Episode Overview:

In this episode of the CELT-cast, we sit down with Dr. Eugene P. Kim, founder and president of Integrated Education, professor of leadership at Concordia University Irvine, and widely published scholar in global education and leadership. With experience ranging from teaching high school science in Los Angeles to leading faculty development initiatives in China, Dr. Kim brings a unique perspective on how artificial intelligence is reshaping education and the workforce. Together, we explore which job sectors and academic disciplines are most vulnerable, or most likely to grow, in the age of AI, whether AI should stand alone as a discipline or be integrated across the curriculum, and how faculty can adapt without becoming overwhelmed.

AI in the Classroom: Panic, Possibility, and the Pedagogy In Between

Hosts: Drs. Kate Robertson and Rob Balza, Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning, Concordia University Wisconsin & Ann Arbor

Guest: Dr. Demian Hommel, Associate Professor of Teaching in Geography and Geospatial Science, Oregon State University

Episode Overview:

In this episode, Kate and Rob continue our Faculty Development series exploring artificial intelligence in teaching and learning. They’re joined by Dr. Demian Hommel. A Faculty Fellow in AI Teaching and Learning at Oregon State’s Center for Teaching and Learning and author of the Faculty Focus article, “AI in the Classroom; Panic, Possibility, and the Pedagogy In Between” (August 13, 2025).

Together, they discuss how AI is reshaping classroom practices, assessment design, and even how instructors understand their pedagogical identity in a changing educational landscape.