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.

Hosted by: Rob Balza, Kate Robertson, Dr. Kelly Ahuna, and Dr. Michael Kiener

Produced by: Ashley Curtin

Are you experimenting with Artificial Intelligence in your classroom or waiting to see how this technology plays out for a while? Either way, Episode 2 of our new CELT-cast series offers insights and practical ideas that will get you thinking about how this technology will impact higher education! In this episode, Kate Robertson and I interview Dr. Kelly Ahuna, Director of Academic Integrity at the University of Buffalo, and Dr. Michael Kiener, Director of Clinical Mental Health Counseling at Maryville University. They teamed up to write an article in Faculty Focus that explores the importance that both faculty and students develop “meta-AI skills,” that is, that is the ability to think critically about how and when to use AI. They offer practical strategies for integrating AI in a discipline-specific way that balances innovation with integrity. If you haven’t checked out our new CELT-cast yet, take a listen. You’ll find it to be fun and informative. Subscribe here:

Hosted by: Rob Balza, Kate Robertson, and Tim Requarth

Produced by: Ashley Curtin

Skipping the Reps: The Danger of Letting AI Do the Heavy Lifting

Dr. Tim Requarth is a Research Assistant Professor of Neuroscience & Physiology and Director of Graduate Science Writing at the NYU Grossman School of Medicine.

Dr. Requarth earned his Ph.D. in neuroscience from Columbia University before transitioning into a prolific career in science journalism and communication. He’s published in Slate, The New York Times, Foreign Policy, Scientific American, and many others…Additionally, he served for nine years as director of NeuWrite, an international workshop series that brings scientists and writers together to refine the communication of scientific ideas.

At NYU, Dr. Requarth develops graduate-level curricula focused on writing and the responsible use of generative AI in scientific communication. Here is a link to his latest article in The Transmitter.