AI Foundations for Educators (AIF1) - CEU-X722

Course Description

Credit Validation for Ed3 Participants Only

This course introduces artificial intelligence as a professional partnership rather than a shortcut, giving educators the foundational knowledge and practical skills to use AI thoughtfully in their work. Across three modules and five hours, educators build an understanding of what AI is and how it works; learn to communicate more effectively with AI through prompts, context, source grounding, and voice; and explore six ways educators can partner with AI. Throughout the course, AI is positioned as a tool that supports professional judgment rather than replacing it, with an emphasis on thoughtful decision-making, verification, and authentic classroom application.

Knowledge acquisition is assessed through module quizzes, structured activities, and a cumulative Learning Portfolio built across the course. Activities ask educators to apply each concept to their own context by verifying AI-generated information, creating a reusable context kit, analyzing patterns in learner work, and drafting a classroom project with AI. Participants who complete the course leave with a practical framework for understanding, communicating with, and partnering with AI, along with reusable resources and habits that transfer directly to their professional practice.

Course Modules

• Understanding AI
• Communicating with AI
• Partnering with AI

Learner Outcomes

• Explain how generative AI and large language models produce responses
• Identify situations where AI-generated outputs require human verification
• Apply practical verification strategies to evaluate AI outputs before classroom implementation
• Communicate effectively with AI tools using purposeful prompts, meaningful context, and source grounding
• Produce reusable communication resources, including personal voice briefs, to streamline ongoing professional practice
• Select appropriate AI partnership approaches from the six BRIDGE categories for specific professional tasks
• Design a classroom project grounded in educator discernment, AI partnership strategies, and knowledge of learners

Course Details

Number of CEUs: 0.5 Continuing Education Units (CEUs)

Continuing Education Hours: 5 hours

Who Should Attend: This course provides continuing education for Ed3 Participants.

PLEASE READ ALL COURSE DETAILS

IMPORTANT: YOU MUST ENROLL WITH THE PARTNERED ORGANIZATION AND PAY ALL REQUIRED FEES BEFORE PURCHASING CEUs THROUGH USD.

University of San Diego – Continuing Education Units (CEUs)

The University of San Diego partners with this program to offer Continuing Education Units (CEUs) through the Credit Validation Program. To earn CEUs, participants must register for and successfully complete the coursework through the external program provider.

CEUs provide documentation of completed professional development and may be used to meet continuing education, professional development, credential, certification, or workplace requirements. Participants are responsible for confirming that CEUs meet the requirements of their employer, school district, credentialing organization, or other institution before enrolling.

Directions to Enroll for CEUs

Step 1: Register with the Partner Organization 

Complete your registration directly with the partner organization. Follow their instructions to begin the course and pay any required enrollment fees. Some courses, specifically DoWEA courses, may require participants to purchase units before the course ends; please check the enrollment window for details.

• Homepage: Ed3
• Enroll: [Ed3] AI Foundations for Educators (AIF1)
• Contact Ed3

Please Note: USD does not provide course materials, manage instruction, or assign grades. All coursework is evaluated by the program’s instructor or coordinator.

Step 2: Complete the Course

Participate fully in the course through the partner organization and complete all required assignments, activities, and assessments.

Step 3: Register for CEUs

After confirming your registration with the partner organization and completing your program, return to the USD website.

• Locate the same course on our listings page.
• Click Add to Cart.
• Click Check Out.
• You will be prompted to either log into your USD Student Account or create one, and then pay for your CEUs.

If this course displays Request Information, it means the course is either not yet open for enrollment or enrollment has already closed. Please check the enrollment dates or contact the organization directly to ask about late enrollment or future course offerings.

Step 4: Partner Organization Submits Grades
After you finish, the partner organization will submit your final grade to USD.

Step 5: Receive Your CEU Confirmation of Completion Letter

Once your certificate has been reviewed and your CEU completion has been processed, your Confirmation of Completion Letter will be available through your USD Student Account.

This letter documents the CEU hours you earned and can be downloaded, printed, and provided to your school district, employer/HR department, credentialing organization, or other institution as proof of completion.

For instructions on accessing your letter, please see How to Access Your CEU Confirmation of Completion. 

Need Help?

For detailed information about the University of San Diego Credit Validation Program, please consult our USD Credit Validation Program Participant Guide.

Interested in university credit instead?

If you would like to purchase USD Graduate-Level Extension Credit (GLEC) instead of CEUs, which provides university credit and an official University of San Diego transcript, click here to view the GLEC option.