Human Connections in a Digital World

I am sharing an example of how students can use AI to engage with assigned course content, then demonstrate understanding and competency through a short video assignment. The assignment leverages AI as a support tool while preserving authentic voice, vulnerability, and connection. Students tend to be more genuine and reflective on video than in written assignments, often expressing insights that go beyond surface-level responses. It also allows faculty to see and hear students in a more personal way.

An assignment was created to help students move beyond simply understanding content to truly engaging with it on a personal level. The focus is on the history of racism in the US with particular attention to Black health and medicine, including the local context here in Louisville.

Students begin by working through a series of readings, recorded lectures, and videos that build foundational knowledge. As part of that process, they also complete two Implicit Association Tests, which often serve as a powerful entry point for self-reflection. For many students, this is the first time they’ve been asked to examine their own implicit biases in a structured way.

To demonstrate what they’ve learned, instead of a traditional paper or exam, students create a short 4–6 minute video. In that video, they respond to guided discussion prompts that ask them to connect the historical content with their own perspectives, reactions, and evolving understanding. The videos are then posted on a discussion board, where students are asked to view and respond to their peers' videos. This adds another layer of engagement, creating space for dialogue, shared perspectives, and deeper reflection. This balance is key.