Week 2 - Group 2 Discussion

https://share.articulate.com/eIYc34aGUpGOINXOlmury

1. Share 3 changes you made to the Rise AI Course Draft to improve learner engagement. Why did you make those changes to your project? Be specific!

I made several changes to make the course feel more interactive and learner-centered rather than just informational.

• Added scenario-based knowledge checks. Instead of only presenting information, I incorporated realistic workplace scenarios that require learners to apply what they just learned. This helps reinforce decision-making and improves knowledge retention.
• Broke long sections into smaller, digestible chunks. I reorganized content into shorter lessons with clear headings and visuals to reduce cognitive overload and keep learners engaged throughout the course.
• Improved the tone and flow of the content. I rewrote sections to be more conversational and action-oriented, replacing dense text with concise language, bullet points, and learner-focused prompts. This makes the course easier to follow and more enjoyable to complete.

I made these changes because my goal was to create a course that encourages active participation instead of passive reading. As an instructional designer, I want learners to leave feeling confident that they can apply what they've learned on the job.

2. Which AI feature or capability was most valuable in your workflow, and why? Did anything about it surprise you?

The most valuable capability was using AI as a collaborative instructional design partner. It helped me quickly generate ideas for scenarios, knowledge checks, learning objectives, and ways to restructure content for better engagement. Rather than starting from a blank page, I was able to iterate much faster and spend more time refining the learner experience.

What surprised me most was how much the quality of the output depended on the quality of my prompts. The more context and direction I provided, the more tailored and useful the responses became. It reinforced that AI works best as a collaborator that amplifies expertise rather than replacing it.

3. What challenges did you face when trying to get AI to produce the results you wanted?

The biggest challenge was getting AI to match the tone, level of detail, and instructional intent I was looking for. My first responses were often too generic or didn't fully align with my audience. I found that I had to be very specific about the learner, the business context, the desired outcome, and even the writing style.

Another challenge was knowing when to stop accepting AI's suggestions and apply my own instructional design experience. AI generated excellent starting points, but I still needed to validate the content, ensure accuracy, and make sure every interaction supported the learning objectives. That balance between efficiency and professional judgment was one of the biggest takeaways from this project.