Name: Dr. Mariana De Maio
Title: Bridging Disciplines: An AI-Enhanced Curriculum for Media and Economic Analysis
College/Department: College of Arts & Sciences, Journalism & Communication
Student Enrollment: Approximately 40–50 students total (combined enrollment across COM 234 + ECO 234 in one shared classroom)
Course: A new course, COM 200 level: Media, Power, and Inequality (paired, shared classroom with ECO 234: The Economics of Gender and Race)
Proposal: For the Fall 2026 semester, this initiative proposes the development of an interdisciplinary course combining COM 200 (Media, Power, and Inequality) and ECO 234, designed to transition students from informal AI use to structured, transparent, and assessable academic practice. By establishing a unified AI policy, mandatory prompt logs, routine evidence verification, and targeted in-class workshops, the instructors aim to enhance students' research habits, academic integrity, and critical thinking skills. To support this dual-discipline integration, the project will deliver standardized assignment templates, tailored rubrics, and a comprehensive evaluation plan to systematically measure and support student learning outcomes.
Collaborators: Holly Zakos, Jeff Olimpo (evaluation), Elizabeth Young