Medical education has entered a new era. Artificial intelligence is reshaping how learners access information, develop clinical reasoning, and interact with content. At the same time, online and hybrid learning environments—once a pandemic stopgap—are now foundational to UME and GME curricula nationwide. Yet one challenge remains persistent: How do we ensure that eLearning transcends content delivery and becomes a true engine for clinical reasoning, professional identity formation, and learner engagement?
The Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) has delivered a timely answer with its newly published Advancing AI Across Academic Medicine Resource Collection. As a part of this Collection, Lecturio recommends the Faculty Toolkit for Transforming eLearning into Active Learning—a practical, evidence-based resource designed to help medical educators redesign online learning for deeper engagement in the age of AI.
At Lecturio, this release underscores a growing convergence between educational technology, learning science, and responsible AI use. The toolkit does not advocate for more tools—it promotes better instructional design powered by sound pedagogy and supported by appropriate technology.
Let’s explore why this toolkit matters now and how faculty can use it to strengthen their courses.
Why Passive eLearning Is No Longer Enough
Medical education has long recognized that professional competence is built not by listening alone, but through application, retrieval, reflection, and feedback. However, many asynchronous online courses still rely heavily on lecture videos followed by static discussion posts—the digital equivalent of passive note-taking.
The AAMC toolkit names this problem directly: learners may download knowledge, but they are not consistently developing the clinical reasoning and decision-making skills required for modern practice.
Meanwhile, AI tools have made basic content summarization even easier—raising concerns about surface-level engagement, assessment integrity, and authentic learning. The real pedagogical challenge is not how to stop students from using AI, but how to design learning activities that require judgment, analysis, and reasoning—skills AI cannot replace.
The Framework: Community of Inquiry in Action
At the heart of the toolkit is the widely validated Community of Inquiry (CoI) framework, which identifies three presences necessary for meaningful online learning:
- Teaching Presence – Instructor guidance, structure, and modeling
- Cognitive Presence – Active engagement with ideas through inquiry and retrieval practice
- Social Presence – Collaboration, discussion, and peer learning
Courses that intentionally integrate all three promote deeper engagement and better learning outcomes .
This framework is not just theoretical. The toolkit translates CoI into three clear, implementable strategies that fit seamlessly into medical and health professions education workflows.
Three Practical Strategies for Active, AI-Era eLearning
1. Humanize Learning With Instructor Kick-Off Videos
Short weekly instructor videos establish Teaching Presence, orienting learners to course priorities and clinical relevance. Rather than simply restating objectives, faculty highlight “tricky concepts,” connect content to patient cases, and frame how students should approach the week.
The toolkit suggests using AI tools responsibly to help draft scripts or discussion prompts—not to replace faculty voice, but to support clarity and efficiency .
2. Strengthen Knowledge With Retrieval Practice
Curated multimedia content paired with low-stakes quizzes activates Cognitive Presence. Retrieval practice has a robust evidence base for improving knowledge retention across learner levels—a critical consideration in dense biomedical curricula.
Here, AI can assist with generating formative questions aligned to learning objectives or suggesting content playlists. Used thoughtfully, AI supports educators, not shortcuts to assessment.
3. Build Clinical Reasoning Through Application Activities
Instead of generic discussion boards, the toolkit emphasizes structured problem-solving activities that foster both Social and Cognitive Presence, including:
- Case-based clinical reasoning discussions
- Jigsaw groups on “grand topics”
- Collaborative text or case annotation
- Concept mapping exercises
These activities require learners to justify decisions, prioritize differential diagnoses, and defend management plans—tasks firmly rooted in clinical judgment. AI tools can support faculty preparation and case generation, but the learning occurs where it matters most: student discourse and defense of reasoning .
Responsible AI Integration: From Policing to Partnership
One of the most valuable components of the AAMC toolkit is its AI Policy and Assignment Design Worksheet, which guides faculty through developing course-specific expectations using the “4 P’s” model:
- Permission – When is AI allowed?
- Privacy – What data must never be shared?
- Proof – Who is accountable for accuracy?
- Process – How must students demonstrate their reasoning?
Rather than banning AI or ignoring it, the toolkit positions AI as a learning partner that requires oversight, verification, and critical evaluation. Assignments are redesigned so students critique AI output, improve upon it, or apply it within specific clinical contexts—turning AI from a shortcut into a stimulus for deeper thinking .
Faculty-Ready Tools (Not Abstract Theory)
What sets this toolkit apart is its ready-to-use structure.
Faculty receive:
- Module redesign checklists
- Editable AI policy templates
- Assignment redesign worksheets
- Fully developed clinical case packets
- Rubrics aligned to clinical judgment
These materials are designed for immediate implementation—not extended faculty development programs or multi-semester pilot projects .
Evidence of Impact
The toolkit was field-tested in a 90-minute international faculty workshop on pedagogy and AI integration. Faculty feedback demonstrated:
- High satisfaction (8.8/10 likelihood to recommend)
- Strong qualitative endorsements including “excellent,” “highly useful,” and “outstanding preparation”
- Value across experience levels from novice to expert educators
These results reinforce that the toolkit is both accessible and effective, meeting the real-world needs of busy medical faculty seeking improvement without complexity .
What This Means for Medical Educators—and for Lecturio
The AAMC Faculty Toolkit reinforces a reality long recognized by Lecturio: technology enhances learning only when grounded in learning science.
Video libraries, analytics dashboards, adaptive quizzes, and AI-enabled tutoring must serve an instructional strategy—not replace it. When combined with frameworks like CoI and thoughtfully designed application activities, platforms like Lecturio become powerful engines for student engagement and clinical reasoning development.
For medical educators navigating hybrid curricula and AI disruption, the path forward is clear:
- Design for active reasoning, not passive viewing
- Embrace AI as a cognitive catalyst, not an assessment loophole
- Lean on evidence-based frameworks for consistent quality
This AAMC Faculty Toolkit, along with the rest of the Advancing AI in Academic Medicine Resource Collection, offers a roadmap that aligns seamlessly with these goals—and provides a practical next step for programs ready to evolve.
Explore the Toolkit
Medical faculty can access the Faculty Toolkit for Transforming eLearning into Active Learning directly through the AAMC AI resource collection:
👉 https://www.aamc.org/about-us/mission-areas/medical-education/advancing-ai-resource-collection/faculty-toolkit-transforming-elearning-active-learningFor institutions using Lecturio or considering its adoption, this toolkit offers an excellent framework to guide course redesign and maximize the instructional power of digital tools—ensuring that today’s screens produce tomorrow’s skilled clinicians, not just content consumers.
