AI Innovation Center

AI Innovation Center

The mission of the Center is to develop and share best practices for using AI ethically and effectively in education and to lead in the reshaping of formal and informal education in the age of AI.

Courses

Special Topics in Educational Technology: AI in Education.  EDTC 620. Dr. Laura Zieger, Professor. (Winter, Summer I)

Scholarship

Shamburg, C., Zieger, L., Smerda-Mason, D., Amerman, T. (2025). Teachers and ChatGPT: The first wave on TikTok. Teaching and Teacher Education. 159.  

Shamburg C., Zieger, L., Smerda-Mason, D., Amerman, T. (2025). Teachers’ use of ChatGPT: The digital landscape of early adopters. American Educational Research Association 2025 Conference, Denver, CO. 

Shamburg, C., Zieger, L., Smerda-Mason, D., Dennis, P., Gately, C., & Zamora, J. (2026, April 8–12). Rich conversations and data from an original board game on co-teaching [Conference paper]. American Educational Research Association (AERA) Annual Meeting, Los Angeles, CA. (Accepted for presentation). AI was used in thematic analysis. 

Zieger, L., Shamburg, C. Smerda-Mason, D. (In progress). Beyond the red pen: Can ChatGPT grade as reliably as faculty?

 

 

Presentations and Workshops

Rand, M., Shamburg, C. Smerda-Mason, D., & Pax, J. (2025. November 10). Using AI in higher education. Professional Pathways Project.   Department of Education Title V Promoting Post-Baccalaureate Opportunities for Hispanic Americans (PPOHA).

Zieger, L., Smerda-Mason, D., Shamburg, C. (2025). From now to next: AI innovations in special education. Summer Inclusion Conference, New Jersey Coalition for Inclusive Education. Kean University, NJ.

Shamburg, C. (2025, March 21). AI and teacher education: Ideas and Directions. NJCU College of Education Spring Retreat. 

Smerda-Mason, D., Stanton, L., Jayaraman, J., Chaterjee, M., Zieger, L., Wallace, A. (May 2, 2025). Artificial Intelligence, voices across the university. AAC&U Project Kalidescope, New Jersey City University, Jersey City, NJ.

Smerda-Mason, D. (October 14, 2024). Developing AI Policy and Integration. Frankford Regional Schools Staff Training,. Virtual.

Zieger, L., Smerda-Mason, D., & Kirby, C. (September 4, 2024). Developing AI Policy and Integration. The Academy of the Holy Angels Educator Professional Development, Demarest, NJ.

Smerda-Mason, D., Koch, D. J. (May 15, 2024). Getting Started with AI: Ideas for Classroom Integration and Policy. Westchester University RECAP Conference, Westchester, PA.

Smerda-Mason, D., & DeGraw, D. (April 22, 2024). Integrating AI Into the Classroom. [NJCU Teacher Inservice Program Class]. Jersey City, NJ.

Student Doctoral Dissertations (Ed.D., NJCU, 2025)

Narvaez-Ruiz, R. (2025). Assessing the impact of artificial intelligence on teacher burnout: A mixed-methods study (Doctoral dissertation, New Jersey City University).

Noguera, E. M. (2025). Exploring the informal adoption of ChatGPT and other generative AI tools among community college faculty: A qualitative study (Doctoral dissertation, New Jersey City University).

Ray, O. (2025). Transforming education: Role of artificial intelligence in enhancing teacher efficiency (Doctoral dissertation, New Jersey City University).

Robinson, V. K. (2025). A qualitative case study of elementary teachers' experience with an artificial intelligence–powered adaptive reading platform (Doctoral dissertation, New Jersey City University).

 

Webinars

Etheredge, B., Johnson, J., Sanders, J., Zamora, J. (2025, November 24). Culturally responsive teaching and social-emotional learning (SEL) practices in the era of AI. Fall Webinar Series 2025. Educational Technology Department.

Giordano, M. (2025, November 3). Faculty, learn how to dance not wrestle with AI: A set of best practices to ethically introduce AI into your classroom. Fall Webinar Series 2025. Educational Technology Department, New Jersey City University.

Zieger, L., Smerda-Mason, D., & Shamburg, C. (2025, October 15). AI Trailblazers of AI Teaching: The ChatGPT Adoption Story. Fall Webinar Series 2025, Educational Technology Department.

McLaughlin, L. (2024, December 1). The advancement of artificial intelligence in education (AIED): A mixed methods exploration of governance and stewardship—Alignment, ethics, and policies in a selection of schools [Webinar].

Pougaza, S. F. (2024, November 18). Leveraging artificial intelligence for educational transformation in Sub-Saharan Africa [Webinar].

Nigam, H. (2024, November 11). Enhancing cultural sensitivity and inclusion in classrooms with AI [Webinar].

Minervini, G., & Muhanna, S. (2024, October 25). In the blink of an eye, do it with AI [Webinar].

Dennis, P. (2024, October 18). Unleashing the power of AI in education through Minecraft: A live gaming session [Webinar]. YouTube.

George, J. (2024, October 11). AI and math can shape the future [Webinar].

Welz, M. (2024, October 4). AI-infused artistry: Elevating animation and sound in your works [Webinar].

Grant, T. (2024, May 2). Simmons AI for early learners [Webinar]. YouTube.

DeGraw, D. (2024, April 25). Exploring the magic of Canva’s AI tools [Webinar]. YouTube.

Welz, M. (2024, April 18). AI in education: Enhancing efficiency and reducing workload for educators [Webinar]. YouTube.

Dennis, P. (2024, April 11). AI & stop motion animation [Webinar].

Smerda-Mason, D. (2024, April 4). Getting started with AI: Ideas for classroom integration [Webinar]. YouTube.

Kontio, J. (2024, March 20). AI in education: Echoes of past innovations and the path forward [Webinar]. YouTube.

Gately, C. (2024, March 1). Utilizing AI in school technology departments [Webinar].

George, J. (2024, February 22). AI in math instruction [Webinar].

Abdallah, N. (2024, February 15). Effective integration of AI in classrooms [Webinar].

 

Department Panel Discussions

From Policy to Practice: Educational Leadership in the Age of AI. (2024, May 29). [Webinar panel discussion]. YouTube.

Smerda-Mason, D., Cotter, K., Robinson, V., Noguera, E, George, J., Grant-Simmons, T. (August 27, 2024). AI in Education Integration Panel Discussion (Moderator). New Jersey City University Professional Development Conference, Jersey City, NJ.