Business teachers gather at Bethel to explore how to use AI thoughtfully in the classroom

Chisago Lakes High School business teacher Hannah Lindstrom ’16, GS’21 recently returned to Bethel University to connect with other area business educators as artificial intelligence continues reshaping their classrooms. “The opportunity to network and collaborate with other Minnesota business teachers was a rare treat,” Lindstrom says. 

Lindstrom joined about 30 other middle and high school business teachers—some alumni and some not—who gathered for Teaching Business with Heart in the Age of AI, a symposium focused on helping teachers use artificial intelligence and technology thoughtfully in their classrooms.

Artificial intelligence is rapidly reshaping the business world and the classrooms preparing students to enter it. For today’s teachers, that means students need more than familiarity with new tools. They also need guidance on how to use them thoughtfully and responsibly.

Throughout the one-day symposium, business educators worked through practical ways to incorporate tools like generative AI into their classrooms. The focus stayed grounded in strong teaching—clear expectations, thoughtful lesson design, and engaging assignments paired with hands-on learning that prepares business students for their college coursework and jobs after high school. Teachers shared ideas and reflected together through activities like speed networking for business education and an “Hour of AI” session exploring how classroom lessons can stay connected to the realities of today’s business world. “The research and methodology presented had an immediate impact on my classroom’s success and reflection of real-world practices,” says Lindstrom, who earned a business teaching license and M.A. in Teaching from Bethel.

The symposium was hosted by Bethel’s education programs and led by Molly Wickam, Ph.D., the program director for Bethel’s M.A. in Teaching and graduate-level teaching license programs, including the Business Teaching License. For Wickam, the day highlighted the importance of creating space for educators to learn from one another as they navigate emerging technologies. “It was energizing to see them thoughtfully explore how generative AI can reshape curriculum in creative, responsible ways,” Wickam says. “The high level of collaboration and innovation in the room reinforced why gatherings like this matter.”

The symposium reflects how Bethel’s teacher preparation programs are adapting to rapid changes in technology and the classroom. “Bethel prepares future teachers by modeling the same principles we embed in our programs: evidence-based teaching practices, using cutting-edge technology tools, passion about student engagement, and real-world application,” Wickam says. “At Bethel, we prepare teachers to think critically about pedagogy, integrate emerging technologies responsibly, and adapt to a rapidly changing educational environment.”

In Wickam’s courses, future business teachers learn how to use artificial intelligence strategically and responsibly in their own classrooms. Wickam encourages them to use AI as a tool to draft rubrics, strengthen assignment instructions, and brainstorm lesson ideas aligned with learning targets and standards. As AI tools continue to evolve, those conversations are becoming a regular part of how Bethel prepares educators to design curriculum, plan instruction, and assess student learning.

Wickam has also embedded both the Level 1 Google for Educators Certification and the Google Generative AI for Educators certification into coursework, helping teacher candidates finish their teacher preparation program with recognized credentials in relevant classroom technology tools. Wickam is also piloting the Artificial Intelligence Assessment Scale, which helps set clear guidelines for when and how students can use AI tools in their coursework. “While we are still in the beginning stages of learning how to teach with AI and teach our teachers how to teach with AI, it is exciting to be part of this transformational shift in education,” Wickam says. 

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