AI and the Learning Experience Design: From Divergent Creativity to Convergent Precision

In the rapidly evolving landscape of higher education, we are witnessing an unprecedented surge in the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI). This rapid surge necessitates a thorough exploration of how faculty members, instructional designers, and researchers adopt AI, especially GenAI, using learning design practices. The present research study delves into college faculty's utilization of AI tools, aiming to examine their AI use and the technology integration approaches they employ to craft learning experiences, ranging from broader integration strategies that foster creativity (i.e., divergent) to more specific strategies ones (i.e., convergent) that target a particular learning goal. The study's findings show that while both design strategies are used when incorporating GenAI in education settings, the divergent strategies were significantly more prevalent. These findings have practical implications for faculty members, instructional designers, and researchers, providing actionable insights into the divergent and convergent strategies for incorporating GenAI in education settings for meaningful learning. This research underscores the crucial role of faculty members, instructional designers, and researchers in successfully integrating AI into higher education.