As artificial intelligence becomes more deeply embedded in higher education, institutions are facing new questions about governance, academic integrity, and strategic implementation.

In this episode of the Engaged By Design Podcast, Michael Cottam and Vernon Smith continue their conversation with Heather Pelkie, who leads AI initiatives at West Coast University and serves as an Assistant Professor of Communication.

Heather explains how her institution is building an AI walled garden to create a safe, governed space for experimentation, innovation, and productivity gains. She also shares why governance, policy, human oversight, and intentional design are essential if colleges and universities want to use AI responsibly.

The conversation explores the future of AI in teaching and learning, the limits of AI detection tools, the importance of AI fluency, and what it really means to keep humans at the center of educational innovation.

This is Part 2 of a two-part conversation on AI, learning design, and the future of higher education.

Key Topics Discussed

• Academic integrity in an AI-driven world
• Why institutions need an AI governance structure
• The purpose of an AI walled garden
• Human-in-the-loop design for higher-risk AI workflows
• Managing permissions, risk, and responsible experimentation
• Why AI detection tools are still unreliable
• Reframing assessment design for an AI-rich future
• AI as part of the future architecture of education
• How to engage learners more effectively in times of rapid change

Heather Pelkie - https://heatherpelkie.com

West Coast University - https://www.westcoastuniversity.edu

Engaged By Design - https://www.engagedbydesign.com

Join us at www.engagedbydesign.com to learn more about

• The Course Design Accelerator
• Faculty-in-the-Loop AI in Higher Education