Posted on August 11, 2025August 12, 2025 by Jon PizzoCritical Thinking and Authentic Learning in Online Assessment in an AI Age The Faculty Seminars in Online Teaching series continues with a timely and critical focus on assessments in online education. Join us for the third session in our Faculty Seminar series for an in-depth exploration of authentic assessment—a powerful approach to evaluating student learning in meaningful, real-world contexts. As online learning evolves, authentic assessment and the ethical integration of AI tools are becoming central to fostering student engagement, critical thinking, and personalized learning. At a Glance When: Thursday, November 6, 2025 Time: 2:00pm – 2:45pm Modality: Hybrid Where: CB1 201 | MS Teams For Who:Faculty credentialed to design and teach Register Now Don’t miss this opportunity to reimagine your assessment practices, expand your understanding of authentic assessment in the online learning context, and gain practical insights that can transform the way you assess and support your students—ultimately promoting deeper learning and greater student success. In this session, Dr. Jo Ann Smith and Dr. Sharon Woodill will guide participants through these key takeaways: Understand the meaning, purpose, and benefits of authentic assessment in online education. Identify the key characteristics that differentiate authentic assessment from traditional testing methods. Learn how to design authentic tasks using clear criteria and effective rubrics. Explore scalable techniques for implementing authentic assessment in large-enrollment courses. Discover how generative AI can be used to support student learning without replacing it. Learn strategies to integrate AI into assessment to promote originality, emphasize learning processes over final products, and uphold academic integrity. Meet Your Presenters Jo Ann Smith, Ph.D Associate Instructional Designer Center for Distributed Learning Dr. Jo Ann Smith is an Associate Instructional Designer at UCF’s Center for Distributed Learning and has more than 15 years of experience teaching university courses online. She also has a background in research development and administration. She served as Program Director of UCF’s fully online Master of Research Administration (MRA) program for seven years, where she led the program’s development, curriculum design, and implementation. Currently, she supports faculty in designing high-quality online learning experiences, with a focus on integrating authentic assessment strategies and exploring the use of AI to enhance student engagement and learning. Dr. Smith is also a trained NSF STEM evaluator and an experienced presenter on faculty development, online learning, and instructional design. Sharon Woodill, Ph.D. Associate Lecturer / Robinson Observatory Director College of Undergraduate Studies Dr. Sharon Woodill is an interdisciplinary scholar with an eclectic academic background. She holds a PhD in Interdisciplinary Studies (philosophy and religious studies) from Dalhousie University in Halifax, Nova Scotia, an MA in Gender and Women’s Studies, and a BA in Music (jazz piano). Her research focuses on interdisciplinary theory and methodologies, interdisciplinary teaching and learning, feminist science studies, and civil discourse. She teaches in the Interdisciplinary Studies Program in the College of Undergraduate Studies.
