AI Corner
Empowering faculty & students with safe, ethical, practical AI tools
Essential AI Skills
Learn the basics of GenAI, prompting, ethics, and validation–for faculty and students.
AI Workflow Gallery
Explore practical AI use cases mapped to the best pedagogical practices.
Privacy & Ethical Use
Protect student data and uphold academic integrity with GenAI.
Accessing CUNY Copilot
Use Copilot responsibly—your secure AI assistant in Microsoft 365.
Essential AI Skills
This short, self-paced microlearning is designed for students and faculty who want to use GenAI tools responsibly in academic settings. Learn what GenAI is, how it works, what to look for in a tool, and why privacy, purpose, and clear expectations matter. Use AI with confidence. Earn a badge.
This microlearning will give you the practical, transferable skills needed to navigate GenAI confidently.
Learn about generative AI, recognize the different types of tools available, and know what to consider—including privacy and data...
Learn to apply key principles to craft effective prompts for Generative AI (GenAI) tools, like CUNY Copilot, ChatGPT, Claude,...
Learn how to explain what a GenAI's "context window" is, why it's important for effective prompting (especially in longer...
Learn why critically evaluating and validating information generated by GenAI tools is needed, identify common issues with AI outputs...
Learn why ethical use of GenAI tools matters in academic and professional settings, identify key risks and responsibilities, and...
Privacy & Ethical Use
AI Corner spotlights CUNY-licensed tools—especially Microsoft Copilot and other services managed inside our university tenant—because they meet the strict privacy, cybersecurity, and FERPA requirements that protect our students and data. Within that secure foundation, we also showcase emerging AI applications from the wider ed-tech ecosystem, encouraging faculty to explore, question, and adapt new ideas responsibly.
Every use case on this site is vetted for privacy, accessibility, and academic-integrity impact. You will see clear notes when a workflow relies on CUNY-approved platforms and guidance on how to experiment safely with external AI tools while safeguarding student information and institutional systems. Together, we foster both innovation and curiosity—without compromising the trust our learners place in us.
Why Copilot? Why Here?
CUNY Copilot gives you access to GPT-4-powered AI directly within Microsoft 365—FERPA-compliant and institution-supported. This means you can streamline tasks like quiz creation, content drafting, and data analysis without compromising student privacy or cybersecurity.
Protecting Student Privacy
CUNY is committed to protecting student learning data under FERPA, affirming that this data belongs to students and is used solely for educational purposes within CUNY-managed systems. Microsoft 365 Copilot aligns with this commitment by providing enterprise-level data protection—ensuring that all prompts, responses, and files remain within the CUNY environment and are not used to train Microsoft’s AI models. Together, these safeguards uphold student privacy and data security
Affirming the Privacy of Learning Data at CUNY
Enterprise data protection in Microsoft 365 Copilot
Ethical AI Use in Teaching
The COTE Ethical AI Use Guidelines provide a structured approach to integrating AI tools in your teaching while upholding student privacy, academic integrity, accessibility, and inclusion.
It introduces practical AI workflows, grounded in CUNY-licensed tools and aligned with COTE’s Technology Integration standards. You will find syllabus statement templates, examples of responsible AI use, and strategies to foster transparency and thoughtful engagement.
Following these guidelines ensures that AI enhances your teaching without compromising core educational values.
AI Workflow Gallery
Here, you will find practical AI workflows—small, targeted tasks you can adopt immediately. Each workflow is aligned with CUNY policies and mapped to the Compass of Online Teaching Excellence (COTE) Framework—a research-based model designed to strengthen four key areas of online teaching: Course Structure, Technology Integration, Student Engagement, and Community Building. Supported by elements like Accessibility, UDL, Evaluation, and Resources, COTE helps ensure that every AI-enhanced task contributes to a high-quality, inclusive, and ethically sound learning environment.
Why AI Needs a Compass
Generative AI can be powerful in higher education, but without guidance, its use may compromise privacy, accessibility, or academic integrity. That is why the AI Corner aligns every workflow in our gallery with the COTE Framework. COTE serves as a compass, grounding innovation in pedagogical quality.
Brightspace
Brightspace Help
The Brightspace LMS Faculty Copilot is now live—an AI assistant designed specifically for Hostos faculty. It gives you clear,...
Use ready-to-use AI prompts to design creative projects that challenge students to synthesize knowledge and generate original work.
Use ready-to-use AI prompts to create scaffolded critique, debate, and peer review assignments that build students’ ability to evaluate...
Use ready-to-use AI prompts to design scaffolded assessments that build critical thinking through analysis, comparison, and evidence-based reasoning.
Assessments
Design Assessments with AI
Create and upload Brightspace quizzes faster using AI—generate, format, and import in four quick steps.
Use AI prompts to plan your assessment map and final grade breakdown.
Use ready-to-use AI prompts to design creative projects that challenge students to synthesize knowledge and generate original work.
Use ready-to-use AI prompts to create scaffolded critique, debate, and peer review assignments that build students’ ability to evaluate...
Use this guide and ready-to-use AI prompts to design medium-stakes assessments—like case studies and simulations—that help learners apply knowledge...
Use ready-to-use AI prompts to design scaffolded assessments that build critical thinking through analysis, comparison, and evidence-based reasoning.
This guide provides ready-to-use AI prompts for designing quizzes, summaries, and mind maps that target foundational learning outcomes using...
Course Design
Backward Course Design with AI
Use AI prompts to clarify what students should know and do by course end—backward course design made easier.
Use AI prompts to plan your assessment map and final grade breakdown.
Use AI prompts to select course content and design aligned learning experiences.
Tutor Helper
AI Tutor Helper
Collaboratively led by the Hostos Academic Learning Center (HALC) and the Office of Educational Technology (EdTech), this initiative focused...
This AI-powered agent, made with CUNY-licensed Copilot, helps students deliver respectful, growth-oriented feedback that is clear, specific, and never...
Invitation to Contribute Your AI Workflow
Have a tip, prompt, or process to share? We would love to feature your contribution. We invite faculty and students to contribute practical AI workflows to the Hostos AI Workflow Gallery. Whether you use AI to generate quiz questions, plan lessons, draft rubrics, or support study strategies—your process could help others teach and learn more effectively.
Submission Criteria
To ensure quality, privacy, and impact, submitted workflows must:
✅ Be practical and tested—your workflow should work as described.
✅ Involve generative AI tools (e.g., prompts, step-by-step processes, templates).
✅ Use CUNY-licensed tools (e.g., Copilot, Microsoft 365) if student data or input is involved.
✅ Align with COTE guidelines (for faculty).
✅ Respect academic integrity and promote ethical AI use.
Submit your workflow and help grow our AI teaching and learning gallery.
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