24 March 2026

University of Applied Sciences

AI in teaching practice: from critical reflection to vibe coding

Society

On 2 March, a Lunch&Learn session at the Amsterdam University of Applied Sciences focused entirely on AI in teaching practice. Lecturers from English teacher education, Nursing, Communication and Multimedia Design, and ICT showed how AI is being used not only as a tool, but also as a subject of critical learning and experimentation.

The session brought together a range of educational examples, but also revealed a shared concern. At the start of the event, participants indicated that their main challenges lie in assessment and grading, as well as in the didactically responsible use of AI. That formed the starting point for the practical cases discussed during the session.

In the English teacher education programme, Femke Kitslaar presented an experiment using HvA AI Chat to help students engage critically with generative AI. Students designed a language-learning activity, requested peer feedback, then used a teacher-designed prompt to obtain feedback from HvA AI Chat, and finally compared both forms of feedback. The goal was to use AI as support without outsourcing the thinking process. A student survey showed that HvA AI Chat was especially valued as a sparring partner and as support in structuring activities.

Rogier Buurs from Nursing showed how vibe coding in Brightspace can help lecturers create interactive teaching materials without prior HTML knowledge. Examples shared during the session included an interactive learning route planner, an e-learning module fully developed with AI, and an electronic patient record students can use themselves. In this context, AI was presented as a practical accelerator for instructional design.

AI also plays a clear role in creative education. Yuri Westplat introduced the minor AI for Creative Thinkers and Makers, in which 27 students from five HvA faculties worked with generative AI. Over three weeks, they designed and built a multimodal product using generative AI tools. The learning goals went well beyond simple use: students were expected to understand the technical functioning, limitations, risks, prompting strategies, and their own critical position towards generative AI.

In ICT, Remco van Swieten explained how the programme has started encouraging conscious collaboration with AIfrom the first year onward. Students develop and refine their own prompt for a personal feedback chatbot in HvA AI Chat, allowing them to reflect on the role of AI in their learning process and future profession. AI literacy is framed as a foundational skill for all students. Early observations show that students find AI approachable and inviting to experiment with, while also learning that there is a real difference between using AI and mastering it.

In ICT, Remco van Swieten explained how the programme has started encouraging conscious collaboration with AIfrom the first year onward. Students develop and refine their own prompt for a personal feedback chatbot in HvA AI Chat, allowing them to reflect on the role of AI in their learning process and future profession. AI literacy is framed as a foundational skill for all students. Early observations show that students find AI approachable and inviting to experiment with, while also learning that there is a real difference between using AI and mastering it.

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