AI Tools for Teaching and Learning

NUFD 122: Social Media for Nutrition Communication

Interactive, Informative, Evidence-Based

Reflection on Instructional Change:

One practice I implemented was the structured integration of AI tools into a major, scaffolded course assignment. In my newly developed course, Social Media for Nutrition Communication, students complete a semester-long assignment broken into five parts, focused on designing and launching a nutrition-focused social media campaign. At each phase, from topic selection and audience identification, to campaign strategy, content creation, and final launch, I introduced optional uses of AI tools like ChatGPT, Claude.ai, or Hootsuite. For example, I suggested students might use AI to brainstorm public health topics, draft survey questions, generate messaging content, or structure social media calendars. I also provided a consistent, recommended citation for AI-generated assistance (e.g., "Initial topic brainstorming supported by ChatGPT, OpenAI, 2025").

Implementing this practice had a noticeable impact on both my teaching and student engagement. Students responded enthusiastically to the opportunity to experiment with AI in their assignments, which led to richer class discussions about the role of emerging technologies in nutrition communication. Several students reported that using AI helped them “get unstuck” during brainstorming or content drafting stages. One student wrote, “I liked being able to bounce ideas off ChatGPT. Sometimes it gave me a new way to say something or helped me simplify a message for Instagram.” I appreciated the opportunity to model responsible AI use and saw increased creativity and initiative in student work.

My interaction with the FLC activities, particularly the “AI Generated Content: Discussion and Reflection” and “AI Resources: Discussion and Reflection," had the greatest influence on the changes I made to my instruction. These activities helped me critically consider the practical and ethical dimensions of student use of AI tools in academic work. The discussions highlighting the need for clear guidelines around acceptable AI use directly informed my decision to provide students with recommended ways to cite AI assistance in their assignments.

During the CTL "Observe and Analyze" session, one major “aha moment” I had was realizing how valuable transparency is when introducing new technologies like AI into the classroom. As we shared our approaches, I noticed a common theme: students are more likely to engage meaningfully with AI when instructors clearly explain its purpose, limitations, and role in the learning process.

Evidence of Instructional Change

Evidence of Instructional Change
Example 1	Example 2	Example 3
Screenshot of Analyze and Observe session where sharing assignment using AI.	Example of student work where AI was used to generate content ideas for a social media campaign on the Mediterranean diet.	Certificate of completion for AI Tools for Teaching and Learning.

Practice and Reflect Teaching and Learning with AI:

The AI Tools for Teaching & Learning Workshop shifted my perspective on AI from caution to curiosity. It gave me the confidence to integrate AI into my new course, Social Media for Nutrition Communication, through a scaffolded assignment where students could optionally use AI tools for brainstorming, drafting, and content planning. This approach enhanced student engagement and creativity while promoting ethical use through required AI citations. A key opportunity was helping students use ChatGPT to overcome creative blocks, while the challenge remained ensuring AI use supported and not replaced critical thinking. Overall, AI enriched both my teaching and student learning in meaningful, manageable ways.

Course Syllabus

Faculty Bio

Faculty Bio
Faculty Picture	Faculty Professional Background
	Jeannie Gazzaniga-Moloo PhD, MS, RDN, FAND I am full-time lecturer in the Nutrition, Foods, and Dietetics Department. I teach five courses a semester. I joined as Sac State faculty 15 years ago after working in nutrition and dietetics including directing the California Department of Public Health Services CVD prevention program, followed by owning a private clinical nutrition practice in Roseville, CA, and working as a national media spokesperson completing more than a thousand media interviews in print, television, and radio for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. Research areas have included childhood obesity and the geographic variation of heart disease morbidity and mortality among California cities.

Funding Source
	This work was supported by: US Department of Education P031S230256 and P031C210012 *Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation or the US Department of Education.