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Artificial Intelligence and Effective Communication in Educational Contexts
Artificial Intelligence and Effective Communication in Educational Contexts
Criteria and good practices for integrating artificial intelligence into university communication: clarity, consistency, inclusion and institutional responsibility.
Course description
This MOOC explores the integration of artificial intelligence into communication processes within higher education settings.
Particular attention is devoted to the criteria that enable AI to support communication quality, and to the relationship between communication quality, trust and institutional reputation. The course highlights the need for informed and responsible governance of AI within institutional communication processes. The main areas of university communication are examined, including stakeholder communication, operational messages, rubrics and feedback, FAQs, multichannel communication (LMSs, email and digital platforms), inclusion and accessibility, content visualization and clarity, as well as good practices and limitations of use.
Total workload of the course: 6 hours
This MOOC is provided by Politecnico di Milano.
This MOOC was produced as part of the Edvance project – Digital Education Hub per la Cultura Digitale Avanzata. The project is funded by the European Union – Next Generation EU, Component 1, Investment 3.4 “Didattica e competenze universitarie avanzate".
Intended Learning Outcomes
By actively participating in this MOOC, you will achieve different intended learning outcomes (ILOs).
- Systematically analyze the communication ecosystem of a higher education institution, distinguishing between educational, organizational and institutional dimensions.
ESCO: business communication ESCO: use different communication channels ESCO: ecosystem management - Identify the key stakeholders involved in university communication processes and assess their informational and relational needs.
ESCO: communicate with stakeholders ESCO: use different communication channels ESCO: develop inclusive communication material - Apply criteria of clarity, consistency and information structuring when drafting operational messages, onboarding communications and multichannel content, including with AI support.
ESCO: communication ESCO: communication principles ESCO: communication techniques - Use AI as a tool for linguistic revision and improved comprehensibility in rubrics, feedback and FAQs, while maintaining educational, relational and evaluative responsibility.
ESCO: review drafts - Critically assess the limitations and risks of generative AI in educational contexts, including issues related to bias, output reliability, data protection and loss of communicative authenticity.
ESCO: principles of artificial intelligence ESCO: critically evaluate information and its sources - Develop basic criteria and guidelines for the responsible integration of AI into institutional communication processes, with particular attention to trust and institutional reputation.
ESCO: define integration strategy ESCO: reputation management
Prerequisites
No formal knowledge is required.
Activities
Over and above consulting the content, in the form of videos and other web-based resources, you will have the opportunity to discuss course topics and to share ideas with your peers in the Forum of this MOOC. The forum of this MOOC is freely accessible, and participation is not guided; you can use it to compare yourself with other participants, or to discuss course contents with them.
Section outline
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Introduction to the concept of the university communication ecosystem, examining the different levels of communication – educational, organizational and institutional – and the role of key stakeholders.
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Overview of communication processes in higher education, including student onboarding and orientation, procedural messages and consistency across communication channels. AI is presented as a tool for improving linguistic clarity, information structuring and multichannel consistency.
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Focus on the relational and qualitative dimensions of educational communication, including rubrics, feedback, FAQs, inclusion and content visualization. AI is analyzed as a means of supporting linguistic quality and comprehensibility, without replacing human responsibility in educational relationships.
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Examination of the limitations of AI in educational communication, the relationship between communication quality, trust and institutional reputation, and the governance principles required for informed and responsible use.
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Video transcripts Folder
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Assessment
Your final grade for the course will be based on the results of your answers to the assessed quizzes. You have an unlimited number of attempts at each quiz, but you must wait 15 minutes before you can try again. You will have successfully completed the course if you score 60% (or higher) in each one of the assessed quizzes. The maximum score possible for each quiz is given at the beginning of the quiz. You can view your score in the quiz on your last attempt or on the 'Grades' page.
Certificate
You can achieve a certificate in the form of an Open Badge for this course, if you reach at least 60% of the total score in each one of the assessed quizzes and fill in the final survey.
Once you have completed the required tasks, you will be able to access ‘Get the Open Badge’ and start issuing the badge. Instructions on how to access the badge will be sent to your e-mail address.
The Badge does not confer any academic credit, grade or degree.
Information about fees and access to materials
The course is delivered in online mode and is available free of charge.
Course faculty
Giovanni Tridente
Teacher
Associate Professor at the School of Church Communications of the Pontifical University of the Holy Cross (Rome). He teaches and conducts research in the fields of communication and artificial intelligence. He also serves as Director of Communication Services at the same university and investigates the impact of AI in educational, media and ecclesial contexts, with particular attention to its anthropological and ethical implications. He is the author of several publications and curates the Substack newsletter “Anima Digitale”, dedicated to the evolving relationship between technology, society and the human person. He provides training and advisory support to academic and ecclesial institutions on the responsible use of social media and artificial intelligence.
Contact details
If you have any enquiries about the course or if you need technical assistance please contact pok@polimi.it. For further information, see FAQ page.