How I Introduced AI and Creativity Into My Teaching Practice at Bath Spa University
When I started out on this journey to integrate AI tools and creativity into my teaching, my goal was to help every student, regardless of background or confidence level, move from research to persuasive media without the barrier of complex software.
But before I jump into that, here's a little bit about me...
I’ve taught media communications for over two decades and currently lead the Media and Critical Studies programme at Bath Spa University. My academic focus lies in feminist media scholarship and inclusive pedagogies. I have been particularly interested in exploring how students can use creative media to engage critically with culture, identity, and representation.
Each year, I welcome new cohorts of Media Communications students at Bath Spa University. My students come from diverse academic and cultural backgrounds, and I wanted a tool that levels the field—one that invites exploration, reflection, and dialogue. Too often, students equate “creativity” with advanced technical skill, and I wanted to dismantle that perception.
Adobe tools, specifically Express and Firefly allow every student—regardless of design background—to communicate complex ideas visually and ethically. I wanted my students to see how theory, ethics, and representation translate into practice—and how digital platforms can serve as vehicles for reflection and social impact.
How I Scaffolded Creativity Across My Curriculum
When students first enter my classes, I like to start with a simple activity, something to help them get started on this new journey. During Welcome Week, we use Adobe Express and Firefly in a light-hearted, text-to-image activity. It’s not just about design—it’s about sparking conversation and building community.
What I really love about Adobe in that particular situation is that it gets the students talking. It gets them sharing. It gets them thinking about what sort of language, what sort of terms, how far can they push the AI prompts? It’s a fun, engaging, entertaining way to really get students having those conversations where otherwise they may be sat on a laptop barely speaking to one another. It turns awkward laptops-down silence into genuine dialogue.
That early play is more powerful than it appears. It opens doors for collaboration, helps students see technology as something they can shape, and sets the tone for the kind of reflective, ethical, research-informed creative work that will define their studies.
As students progress, Adobe Express becomes central to assessment.
We’ve shifted away from traditional exams and essays toward creative, research‑based outputs that foreground academic rigor. Students are encouraged to show their work—to explain why a visual choice, tone, or platform best fits their audience and message.
It’s not just about what students make—it’s about how and why they make it.
In the first year, students in Rethinking Media create campaign posters on issues like climate activism, representation, or disability advocacy. Adobe Express helps them focus on evidence and message rather than technical polish.
In the second year, students move to Influencing Celebrity, a cross‑disciplinary project with Marketing and Fashion Marketing students. They build fictional influencer personas and produce Instagram posts grounded in media research, platform norms, and audience strategy.
By the third year, students are using Express to design short activist videos and feature articles on social issues. These projects demand critical thinking about ethics, audience, and persuasion—and Express makes iteration and peer critique seamless.
Ethics, Research, and Inclusive Pedagogy
For me, technology must serve pedagogy, not the other way around.
Adobe Express and Firefly give us opportunities to teach ethical and inclusive practice in a tangible way. We talk about prompts, bias, and the importance of representing people and issues thoughtfully.
When students tackle sensitive topics—such as mental health—they research extensively before creating any visual. They consider: What are the usual tropes or stock images? Who is missing from representation? How can they communicate responsibly and inclusively? Then they test drafts with peers, reflect, and revise.
Ethical use matters. We talk about prompts, bias, and inclusion—who’s shown, who’s missing—and we make the learning journey visible through rationale and reflection.
The result is deeper learning. Students not only demonstrate technical skill but also empathy, research literacy, and ethical reasoning—skills that matter far beyond the classroom.
What I’ve Seen Change in My Classroom
Across all the students I have engaged and taught, participation has increased dramatically.
Adobe Express gives even hesitant students confidence to create and share. Feedback cycles are faster; iteration is easier. What impresses me most is how clearly students now link research claims to creative choices—a skill at the heart of academic communication.
It’s about the human behind the algorithm. Authentic assignments help students demonstrate both creativity and professionalism.
As students move toward advanced modules and client‑based briefs, they’re learning to respond in real time to feedback—mirroring the agility expected in today’s professional environments. This is what we call authentic assessment: assignments that mirror life beyond the university walls while maintaining academic depth and reflection.
My Advice for Educators Considering Adobe Express
For any faculty or colleague who are exploring similar approaches, my biggest advice is to start small. One template, one brief, one outcome.
Ask students to name their audience and justify their design decisions with research. Build complexity gradually—from poster to social post to video project. And most importantly, keep accessibility and ethics at the core. Remember that it’s not about the tool itself—it’s about fostering creativity, confidence, and voice in every learner.
It isn’t about AI replacing us; it’s about unlocking uniquely human potential.
What I’ve seen in my years as an educator is that generative AI tools (like Adobe Express) can change how we think about teaching creativity: students participate more, take risks, and see research as something living and visual. But don't forget the foundational pedagogical principles that drive your approach and the academic outcomes you wish to deliver for students.
The success of this work at Bath Spa demonstrates what’s possible when creativity and critical inquiry coexist. And, I’d love to see more colleagues experience that same transformation in their own subjects.
Want to learn more about my experiences? Listen to my full conversation on JISC's Beyond the Technology podcast
See how you can bring creativity into your class with Adobe Express Learning Kits
Adobe Express Learning Kits are free, ready‑to‑use resources designed to help faculty embed creativity, storytelling, and digital literacy into coursework. Get started quickly and introduce Adobe Express in any discipline—whether you teach media, communications, business, or the sciences.
Each Learning Kit includes:
- Customizable LMS modules
- Sample assignment prompts
- Rubrics
- Product tutorials
- Ready-to-use templates
- And much more!
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About Dr. Rebecca Feasey
Dr. Rebecca Feasey is a Subject Leader in Media and Critical Studies at the Bath School of Art, Film and Media, Bath Spa University. Her research explores representations of gender, fame, and family in popular culture, and she has authored multiple books, including Masculinity and Popular Television, Motherhood and Popular Television, and Infertility and Media Representation. Her research has been published in journals such as Feminist Media Studies, Celebrity Studies, and Men and Masculinities.
Connect with Dr. Rebecca Feasey on LinkedIn