Preparing your course involves wearing multiple hats. You must be the curriculum developer, content curator, course designer and developer, and when all of those are complete. The administrative work to ensure students have the support they need can be time-consuming, and your time can be better spent getting to know your students and providing them with the subject matter expertise you have. This is where AI tools can help reduce the amount of time you spend working on your course.
For the activities below, we recommend using a closed-source AI Tool. In these activities, we used NotebookLM to facilitate these supporting documents. You can learn more about NotebookLM and its privacy on their website. Alternatively, most AI Tools allow users to opt out of sharing data with AI training models via data privacy settings.
Some prompts will require AI training. Training is when you prep the AI tool for the prompt you are about to enter. Not all prompts below require AI training, but when it does, we have noted so in the section.
Prompt templates and complete example prompts
Prompt template
Create time on task estimates for the work in this course. Each week should estimate how much time the [content categories] should take. [Add information about time on task if preferred].
Completed example prompt
Create time on task estimates for the work in this course. Each week should estimate how much time the learning materials, learning deliverables, and all content should take.
- Each chapter is roughly 30-40 pages with several new concepts, estimate 1.5-2 hours for each chapter.
- Each article or webpage will take roughly 30-45 minutes.
- Each lecture in the course is no more than 10 minutes.
- Discussions require an initial post and 2 responses to peers, thought is required but not extensive research.
- Quizzes require 1 hour of study time and 1 hour to take the quiz.
- Assignment lengths vary.
Prompt template
Each week starts on [enter date and time and weekday information]. Write a [description of tone] email to students that [content and information to be included].
Completed example prompt
Each week starts on a Monday and ends on a Sunday and the course start date is March 4, 2025. Write a welcoming and encouraging email to students that emphasizes key points of the course including:
- Instructions on how to log into LMS and access the course.
- Directions on where to find your introduction and contact information.
- Directions and due dates for participating in the course introduction activity.
- Information on required textbooks or materials and how to access them.
- Links to technical assistance at your institution.
- Communication about your excitement and a request for student questions.
Prompt template
Each week starts on [enter date and time and weekday information]. Write a [description of tone] email to students that [content and information to be included].
Completed example prompt
Each week starts on a Monday and ends on a Sunday and the course start date is March 4, 2025. Write a welcoming and encouraging email to students that emphasizes key points of the course including:
- Directions to the course syllabus.
- A description of the first week of activities and deliverables with due dates.
- Links to relevant campus support offices that will be key to student success.
- Information on an “open-door” communication policy & your turnaround time policy.
Prompt template
Create weekly announcements. Highlight [items to highlight]. Outline [inclusion list]. End each announcement with an [item to add if preferred].
Completed example prompt
Create weekly announcements. Highlight the topic for that week and how it helps them become proficient in the subject. Outline key tasks and deadlines. End each announcement with an encouraging statement for the week.
Prompt template
Training: From now on, when I ask for an assignment announcement, write a reminder email to students for the assignment specified. Include details [add details to be included]. Assignment announcement for [title of assignment].
Completed example prompt
Training: From now on, when I tell you to write an announcement for an assignment announcement, write a reminder announcement to students for the assignment specified. Include details like a topic overview, assignment description, due date, grade possible, and how it relates to the course. Tell me when you’re ready. Assignment announcement for Audience analysis & initial communications.
Prompt template
Training: From now on, when I ask questions, write the answer as a [tone and description of response]. Tell me when you’re ready.
Prompting: [question]
Completed example prompt
Training: From now on, when I ask questions, write the answer as a friendly email as though responding to a student asking the question. Tell me when you’re ready.
Prompting: Is the writing center available on Mondays?
Prompt template
Training: From now on, when I say a student is behind, ask me [details to have AI ask], then [details for email].
Prompting: A student is behind.
Completed example prompt
Training: From now on, when I say a student is behind, ask me for the current week, ask which weeks the student hasn’t completed, then write an email to the student that provides a short list of what content they have missed and provides a plan for them to catch up for the current week. Be proactive, solution-oriented and encouraging.
Prompting: A student is behind. It is currently Week 6. The student has already missed Week 5.
Tips
Here are some additional tips to get the most out of these activities.
- These activities work better with more detail. We recommend uploading a syllabus at minimum to create these.
- Uploading supporting documents that outline the course or provide details of the weekly content, will provide better results.
- If you do not have a completed course outline, course map or course design guide with all learning materials and deliverables, we recommend creating one first, so the tool has a weekly schedule to review.
- Every person and how we design are different. Some might write weekly announcements as they complete the module, while others might wait until all content is complete to write them. You can select when you’d like to use these; however, this content is best developed after you have a strong outline of your course content and learning activities.
Sample Content
If you are not comfortable testing out NotebookLM with your own content, we have you covered. Please use this sample syllabus and course map below. You can download the PDF and upload it into NotebookLM or copy the text and paste it into NotebookLM.
