OTLT conducted a pilot of Khanmigo Teacher Tools, an AI-powered teaching assistant integrated into Canvas, during the spring 2025 semester. This exploratory initiative aimed to evaluate how one AI tool might support faculty in instructional planning, assignment creation, and reflective teaching practices.

Khanmigo Teacher Tools offers 23 AI-driven tools to assist instructors in generating content and ideas aligned with their teaching goals. Khanmigo Teacher Tools was selected for pilot testing due to its ease of use and implementation: it was free to use, respected student privacy, and integrated directly into ICON.

Seven faculty members participated in the pilot. They received structured support, including training, documentation, and regular communication. To better understand faculty experiences, two surveys were distributed: one mid-semester and one at the end. These surveys asked participants to reflect on their overall experience, frequency of use, perceived impact on teaching, challenges encountered, and suggestions for improvement.

While participants appreciated the concept and potential of Khanmigo Teacher Tools, actual usage was limited. Survey responses indicated that faculty used the tool less than once per week, and none reported a significant impact on their teaching. A key limitation was the tool’s lack of seamless integration with ICON. AI-generated content could not be easily embedded directly into assignments, discussions, or other course components, requiring manual copy-pasting.

Based on these findings, the Office of Teaching, Learning, and Technology recommended against broader adoption. We extend our sincere thanks to the faculty who participated in this pilot. Their feedback was invaluable in helping us better understand the opportunities and limitations one AI-driven tool in instructional technology. We remain committed to exploring tools that meaningfully improve and support teaching and learning at the University of Iowa.