Foundations of AI for Creatives: Teaching Tips

Foundations of AI for Creatives is designed to be an engaging, exploratory course that blends short lectures with highly interactive, hands-on labs. Your role as the instructor is to guide creative professionals—many of whom may be new to AI—through key concepts, facilitate curiosity, and support experimentation with generative tools. Each section of the course includes a focused presentation (approximately 15–20 minutes) followed by a hands-on lab or discussion (20–30 minutes). Plan for 45–60 minutes per module, with flexibility to adapt based on participant interest and engagement.

Encourage students to actively try tools like ChatGPT, Midjourney, DALL·E, ElevenLabs, and Runway as you introduce them. You do not need to be an AI expert to teach this course, but you should be familiar with the basic functionality of each tool and able to demonstrate examples live or via screenshots. Ahead of each session, test the featured platforms to ensure access and performance. Whenever possible, have backup examples ready in case of technical issues. Prompt discussion with open-ended questions, and invite students to share their outputs, insights, and challenges during labs. Many labs are designed to be collaborative or peer-reviewed, so build in time for reflection and sharing at the end of each activity. Lastly, emphasize ethical use and creative intent—this course isn’t just about how to use AI, but how to use it thoughtfully and responsibly in creative work.