Grand Canyon University

Jean Mandernach leads the Center for Innovation in Research and Teaching at Grand Canyon University, where she explores how AI is fundamentally reshaping higher education. Much of her work goes beyond policy and academic integrity, focusing on how AI can address longstanding challenges like scaling personalized instruction in a system historically designed for one instructor and many students. Mandernach envisions a future where adaptive, competency-based learning replaces traditional semesters and grades, empowering instructors to guide students individually with personalized feedback.

Leading Innovation in Higher Education through AI

As Executive Director, I focus on how emerging technologies, particularly AI, are reshaping the future of education. My journey in higher education has led me to explore the evolving role of instructors and the very structure of teaching and learning. I am passionate about advancing research that not only uncovers AI’s immediate efficiencies but also examines the deeper implications it holds for pedagogy, student engagement, and academic integrity.

In my current role, much of my day revolves around navigating the complex landscape of AI in education. Like many educators today, I spend considerable time reflecting not just on how AI can streamline tasks but on how it fundamentally challenges long-standing assumptions. AI is not just about efficiencies; it’s fundamentally challenging how we understand teaching and learning. Traditionally, higher education has operated on a model where one instructor teaches many students within a semester, using set deadlines and grades to measure progress. AI, however, opens the possibility of personalized, one-on-one learning experiences that adapt to each student’s needs, transforming the instructor’s role from content provider and grader to personalized mentor and guide.

This shift raises critical questions. What does teaching look like when semesters and grades give way to competency-based education? How do we design learning pathways that allow each student to master material at their pace? Exploring these questions drives much of the research and dialogue I lead, helping to collect data that will shape the future of education.

Shifting Mindsets to Embrace Innovation

One of the biggest challenges higher education faces is mindset. Too frequently, we evaluate new innovations by how well they align with our existing systems rather than envisioning the ways they could fundamentally change those systems. AI isn’t the first major innovation to change education; computers and the internet brought similar shifts, but it requires us to be open to exploring new possibilities beyond what we’re used to.

Institutions and educators who adopt a mindset of curiosity and openness, asking not just “How does this impact what we do now?” but “How could this revolutionize teaching and learning?” will be best positioned to harness AI’s potential. That openness is crucial for driving meaningful innovation in research and pedagogy and for reimagining the future of higher education.

  ​AI is not just about efficiencies; it’s fundamentally challenging how we understand teaching and learning   

Integrating AI Literacy into Academic Culture

The most impactful initiative underway at Grand Canyon University is a major policy shift designed to reframe how faculty and students approach AI. While most institutions focus on restricting student use and detecting misconduct, GCU is moving in the opposite direction toward building AI literacy and rethinking how learning is assessed.

This fall, the university will launch a new faculty and student policy that places learning, not AI detection, at the center of academic integrity. Rather than asking whether a student used AI, faculty are encouraged to ask whether the student’s learning can still be verified. If not, that becomes a prompt for re-engagement, not punishment. The goal is to shift the conversation from suspicion to support and to build a new culture of instructional trust and adaptation. This approach is already sparking critical reflection among faculty and reshaping how assignments and assessments are designed.

Looking ahead, the next wave of change in higher education will be the full integration of AI into academic systems. While many schools experiment with personalized learning or automated feedback, most tools remain outside core platforms. In the next three to five years, systems like learning management platforms and digital content providers will embed adaptive technology, transforming how faculty teach and how students engage.

Instead of layering innovation on top of outdated structures, institutions will reengineer workflows so AI capabilities are part of the foundation. From grading to personalized content delivery, the goal will be seamless, intelligent systems that reduce administrative burden and elevate human interaction. Grand Canyon University is preparing for that reality now by empowering faculty to think differently and by prioritizing meaningful learning outcomes over outdated rules of engagement.

Guiding Innovation through Vision, Not Tradition

For institutions to innovate effectively, they must start by letting go of entrenched mindsets. Too often, teaching and research strategies are shaped by how things have always been done. But true innovation requires leaders and faculty to ask: What would education look like if we weren’t constrained by legacy systems?

Another important point is to start with vision, not tools. Instead of asking how AI can help, leaders should first imagine an ideal learning environment, one free from traditional limitations like rigid class sizes, grading timelines, or outdated teaching models. Once that vision is clear, technology becomes a means to achieving it, not the starting point.

Leaders must also promote a culture of openness by encouraging faculty to explore bold ideas without fear of failure. Creating space for visionary thinking allows institutions to rethink how they structure learning, research, and engagement. When innovation begins with possibility, not preservation, education evolves to meet the needs of today’s learners.