Teaching in Higher Ed The AI Grief Cycle
Dec 18, 2025
Christopher Ostro, a higher education instructor and AI advocate, delves into the emotional landscape shaped by AI in academia. He discusses the profound grief experienced by faculty due to rapid job changes and ineffective traditional assessments. Christopher highlights the importance of fostering trust with students and embracing co-learning. He shares insights from surveys about AI's prevalence and the need for specific training. The conversation also covers the reimagining of classroom dynamics and ethical discussions surrounding AI use.
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Profound Job Change In Teaching
- Christopher Ostrow says faculty jobs have profoundly changed in a short time because writing and assessment processes shifted.
- Traditional assessment methods no longer function the way they used to for many instructors.
Grief Varies By Teaching Context
- Christopher Ostrow sees anger and depression more in large required courses and more acceptance in smaller, self-selected classes.
- Bargaining often appears as attempts to write course policies or negotiate tool use.
You Must Explain Course Value Now
- Faculty now must justify the value of their courses because many students question relevance after pandemic and tech shifts.
- Clinging to pride instead of explaining relevance harms student learning and trust.
