More intelligent faculty development: Integrating GenAI in curriculum development programs.

Abstract

Educational challenge: Generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI) has rapidly emerged as a potentially transformative tool in education. Faculty development (FD) programs, particularly in curriculum development (CD), are ideal settings for incorporating GenAI to benefit faculty and their learners. However, concerns about accuracy, bias, and ethical implications necessitate structured and responsible integration.

Solution and implementation: We incorporated GenAI across five CD programs at Johns Hopkins University (JHU) in 2023-2024. We developed structured exercises using customizable prompts aligned with each step of the Six-Step Approach for Curriculum Development in Medical Education and encouraged learners to critically engage with GenAI during required exercises and assignments.

Lessons learned and next steps: Structured exercises encouraged experimentation, critical evaluation, and innovation. Participants reported increased efficiency and creativity. Role modeling, balanced messages about GenAI's capabilities and limitations, and multidisciplinary teamwork were key enablers of success. This pilot offers an example of integration of GenAI into existing FD programs without requiring additional time or sacrificing rigor in CD processes. By sharing our findings globally, we hope to democratize FD and contribute to the responsible, scalable adoption of GenAI in diverse educational contexts.