Four programs for educators will debut asynchronous online formats in fall 2026
Education college’s AI bots embed deep learning in courses for independent remote learners.
By Janel Shoun-Smith | 615-335-6273 |
With a continual focus on boosting accessibility of its programs for busy working educators, Lipscomb's College of Education (COE) plans to debut asynchronous online formats for four of its graduate and post-baccalaureate programs in fall 2026.
Not only does this format provide schedule flexibility for working students, but they will also retain Lipscomb’s distinctive personal touch and rigorous deep learning through an award-winning method of incorporating AI technology, said COE Dean Leslie Cowell.
This fall, students will be able to enroll in a new asynchronous online track for:
- Teacher licensure coursework (for post-baccalaureate students who are seeking their teacher license);
- The gifted education endorsement:
- The Master of School Counseling; and
- The Doctor of Education.
The college’s graduate certificate and Educational Specialist degree in educational leadership has been offered for a year already in asynchronous format, online courses that do not require specific times for live instruction, allowing students to obtain information, do their assigned work and turn in assignments at their own pace.
The educational leadership programs, designed to prepare students for licensure as principals, have served as pilots for using AI bots and platforms to ensure critical thinking and greater reflection, even in the remote hands-off environment of asynchronous classes.
Injecting AI bot discussions and lectures refined by AI into the programs, has resulted not only in a rapidly growing enrollment but also in greater student satisfaction and deeper learning reflected in their work, said Lance Forman, assistant dean of education specialties, who has developed around 80 AI bots for programs.
Asynchronous courses, because of their flexibility to work around busy schedules, have become the norm for advanced education degrees, which are in demand mostly by people already in the education workforce, said Cowell.
But it’s important that the gain in flexibility doesn’t diminish the quality of in-depth, rigorous learning and the strong relationships with faculty and fellow students, she said.
“The courses were developed with rigorous content mastery in mind,” said Cowell. “These bots guide students through a real-world experience and through conversations leading to that content mastery. It’s less about content delivery and more about reflecting the content in your work, not just regurgitating it.
“We also don’t want to lose the relationships, which is what our graduates truly value. So we are intentionally offering digital office hours and online experiences where the students have to work together,” she said.
In February, Forman’s development of AI bots to be used in combination with the MORAL Dilemma Video Library, a Lipscomb-produced film series to help students navigate complex ethical scenarios in school settings, was awarded the American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education’s (AACTE) 2026 AACTE Best Practice Award for the Innovative Use of Technology in February.
The award recognizes an innovative use of educational technologies that transcends conventional teaching methods and brings about transformative changes in educational practices.
“We don’t want to make it easier, but making it accessible opens the door to so many more students,” said Forman. “When they work with a bot in my classes, it is to facilitate the process of learning, not to create a product.”
In addition, employing AI tools in the courses allows students to see best practices in using the technology that they can apply to their own teaching and careers, said Forman. “It can teach them about the great tools out there that can save them time so that they can devote more time to teaching and personal interaction,” he said.
“There is growing demand. We’re seeing results in the quality of work submissions, the depth of student thought and the numbers in our programs,” said Forman. “It’s all trending in the right direction.”
To learn more about enrolling in one of these programs, contact Sean Impeartrice, graduate recruiter,
at sean.impeartrice [at] lipscomb.edu.
About the College of Education
Lipscomb University’s College of Education is consistently ranked as one of the most effective educator preparation programs in Tennessee and the nation. For 13 consecutive years, Tennessee Teacher Preparation Report Card data on the effectiveness of new Tennessee teachers indicates Lipscomb has one of the most effective teacher preparation programs in the state. In 2023 Lipscomb received a $4.8 million grant from the U.S. Department of Education to train mental health professionals in high-need local education agencies (LEAs) in the Nashville area through its IMPACT (Innovative Mental Health Partnership Accessing Counselor Training) Initiative. In June 2023, it was named among the top in the nation by the National Council on Teacher Quality for preparing future teachers in the science of reading. Lipscomb has also developed a number of Grow Your Own partnerships in high-need disciplines and districts across Tennessee. For more information, visit www.lipscomb.edu/education.