Sinclair Community College serves more than 30,000 students and community members each year. Guided by its mission to “find the need and endeavor to meet it,” Sinclair drives innovation across all levels of the institution. At the forefront of this transformation is the eLearning Division, which designs, supports, and advances high-quality learning experiences across every modality. With a team of 35 staff specializing in instructional design, advanced technologies, faculty training, and learning management system administration, the eLearning Division partners with hundreds of faculty annually to develop and support engaging, future-ready learning experiences that meet learners where they are.

The launch of the Innovation Lab in 2024 marked a bold step forward for both the division and the college. Created as a collaborative space for faculty, staff, and student experimentation, the lab enables educators to research, explore, and scale new ideas that respond to the evolving needs of learners. For the first time, Sinclair created a physical space where in-person and online learning communities converge—fostering connection, creativity, and cross-disciplinary collaboration. This article explores how the Innovation Lab and the eLearning Division are driving student-centered education and positioning Sinclair to lead in the next era of teaching and learning.

The Innovation Lab: A Space for Experimentation

Each academic year, the Innovation Lab focuses on three strategic themes to guide its programming. In 2024–2025, the emphasis is on artificial intelligence (AI), gamification, and human-centered design (HCD), reflecting Sinclair’s commitment to student-centered learning and aligning with intentional space use and the League’s focus on innovative practices.

AI has taken center stage in the Innovation Lab’s programming this year, with a strong focus on building literacy, confidence, and a culture of thoughtful experimentation. The lab has hosted a growing series of AI-focused events, including ethics debates; speaker sessions; and hands-on workshops on creativity, inclusivity, and workforce readiness, which have drawn more than 300 participants to date. To sustain momentum, the lab launched AI Insights, a monthly newsletter for faculty and staff in Academic Affairs which shares tools, use cases, and Sinclair-specific success stories aligned with the academic calendar. These efforts are anchored by the AI Cookbook, a curated collection of 35 ChatGPT recipes for classroom and workplace use, and the AI Test Kitchen, where participants explore AI platforms and test prompt strategies. The impact is clear: 100 percent of Test Kitchen attendees plan to implement at least one AI practice to increase efficiency.

Gamification strategies have emerged through creative instructional design. In managerial accounting classes, a coin production simulation merges accounting principles with manufacturing processes, fostering critical thinking through experiential learning. In marketing, students design team logos with Tinker Cad, which are 3D printed in the lab as physical symbols of progress and group identity.

Through the lens of human-centered design, faculty have reimagined how students interact with course content and concepts. In psychology courses, enlarged 3D neuron models promote tactile learning and deeper conceptual understanding. In international business, students use Google Earth, Google Maps, and virtual reality to explore global logistics and market opportunities—gaining real-world insight through immersive experiences.

As the lab continues to expand its reach, it is laying the groundwork for deeper exploration into how AI, gamification, and human-centered design are reshaping instructional practices. The lab’s programming not only sparks innovation but also serves as a launchpad for broader campuswide integration of emerging technologies. These efforts have positioned Sinclair to take the next step—embedding AI more intentionally into the fabric of teaching and learning.

Artificial Intelligence in Teaching and Learning

AI is rapidly transforming the educational landscape, offering both exciting opportunities and meaningful challenges. At Sinclair, we view AI as a powerful catalyst for innovation in teaching, learning, and student success, particularly as we rethink education in the era of generative AI.

AI tools like ChatGPT, adaptive learning platforms, and intelligent tutoring systems are reshaping how faculty design instruction and how students engage with content. For example, in a newly revised introductory physics course, students use a custom chatbot trained on the OER textbook. The bot guides students through problem-solving steps using a learner-centered approach, building confidence and independence without simply providing answers. Research shows that these bots improve student motivation and outcomes, especially in higher education settings (Lademann et al., 2024; Wu & Yu, 2024). For community colleges, where many learners need flexible, scaffolded support, custom AI tutors offer scalable, human-like engagement and instant feedback.

Across disciplines Sinclair faculty are integrating AI in creative, ethical ways. Math professor Lani Wildow uses AI to help students iteratively draft research papers, focusing on process over product. History instructor Andrea Hinojosa employs an AI tutor to support low-stakes writing practice without adding grading load. In computer science, Paul Hansford’s students use AI to generate realistic datasets, saving time and enriching hands-on learning. Rather than forbidding AI use, students are expected to engage with it thoughtfully to meet learning goals.

Instructional designers and course developers are also leveraging generative AI to streamline online course development. AI accelerates idea generation, drafts assessments and rubrics, and provides options for learner choice. Custom GPTs like eLearning Expert offer guidance on instructional design, while others provide software-specific support for tools like Articulate 360 (OpenAI, 2025a, 2025b, 2025c).

Beyond instruction, AI supports professional development and operational effectiveness. Sinclair faculty and staff participate in AI-focused workshops, training, and peer learning. The Innovation Lab has hosted 18 AI events with over 330 participants. Sinclair’s AI Cookbook equips faculty and staff with prompts for automating time-intensive tasks like report writing, data analysis, agenda creation, and creative brainstorming. These tools are strengthening data-informed decision-making, enhancing services, and building institution-wide AI literacy.

By embracing AI as a partner rather than threat, Sinclair is helping faculty and students navigate this frontier with curiosity, creativity, and care. Through the Innovation Lab and the forthcoming AI Excellence Institute, Sinclair is not just responding to change—we’re leading it with intention, equity, and imagination.

Gamification and Human-Centered Design

Gamification is transforming how students engage with course material, shifting the focus from passive learning to active, challenge-based experiences (Lee & Hammer, 2011). At Sinclair, we’re leveraging game-based strategies not just to spark interest, but to sustain motivation and deepen understanding. Whether through digital badges, interactive escape rooms, or challenge-based modules, gamification helps learners connect emotionally with content—turning abstract concepts into tangible progress. Research supports this shift: Gamification has been shown to increase learner motivation, enhance knowledge retention, and improve overall academic performance (Dicheva et al., 2015; O’Donovan et al., 2013).

As we embrace these innovations, we remain committed to human-centered design. The integration of AI is guided by the principle that technology should enhance, not replace, the human elements of teaching and learning. AI becomes a powerful tool when it supports personalization, accessibility, and efficiency while preserving the value of mentorship, collaboration, and empathy. Human-centered design ensures that technology responds to the real needs of learners and educators, avoiding the risk of depersonalization (Luckin, 2018).

Several AI-powered gamification strategies are already being explored at Sinclair. For example, asynchronous workshops created in Panopto, a streaming video server, now include embedded video quizzes and auto-badging for skills mastery. Our team is developing an interactive escape room that combines narrative-driven gameplay with instructional content, helping learners to build core competencies through problem-solving. And through the Innovation Lab, we are prototyping AI-assisted tools like Zoom’s AI Companion, which can power adaptive learning experiences while keeping the learner at the center.

Together, these strategies form a future-ready learning environment—one that is engaging, ethical, and deeply human.

What's Next for the Innovation Lab?

The Innovation Lab’s first year laid the foundation for a culture of experimentation, with more than 3,000 faculty, staff, students, and community members engaging with the space. In its second year, the lab will focus on deepening its impact and expanding its role in Sinclair’s broader innovation ecosystem.

Looking ahead, Sinclair aims to embed AI, gamification, and human-centered design more fully across disciplines. AI efforts will move from awareness-building to meaningful integration supported by the continued growth of the AI Cookbook, increased faculty co-creation, and exploration of student-facing applications that promote ethical and creative use of generative tools. These efforts align closely with the launch of Sinclair’s AI Excellence Institute—a three-year strategic initiative to advance AI in teaching, learning, and operations.

Gamification strategies will evolve through research partnerships and faculty development focused on small, high-impact instructional practices. Human-centered design will remain the foundation, ensuring that all technologies serve the real needs of learners and educators.

In 2025, the Innovation Lab will be joined by a companion Media Lab and Studio, offering faculty, staff, and students access to advanced tools and expert support in instructional media and content development. Together, these labs will form a dynamic hub for innovation, bridging instructional technology, media production, and experiential learning.

As it enters its second year, the Innovation Lab remains committed to empowering educators, sparking collaboration, and shaping a future-ready learning environment.

References

Dicheva, D., Dichev, C., Agre, G., & Angelova, G. (2015). Gamification in education: A systematic mapping study. Educational Technology & Society, 18(3), 75-88.

Lademann, J., Henze, J., & Becker-Genschow, S. (2024). Building bridges: AI custom chatbots as mediators between mathematics and physics. https://arxiv.org/abs/2412.15747

Lee, J., & Hammer, J. (2011). Gamification in education: What, how, why bother? Academic Exchange Quarterly, 15(2), 146.

Luckin, R. (2018). Machine learning and human intelligence: The future of education for the 21st century. UCL IOE Press.

O’Donovan, S., Gain, J., & Marais, P. (2013, October 7-9). A case study in the gamification of a university-level games development course [Conference presentation]. South African Institute for Computer Scientists and Information Technologists Conference, East London, Eastern Cape, South Africa. https://doi.org/10.1145/2513456.2513469

OpenAI. (2025a). ChatGPT (Apr 14 version) [Articulate storyline 360]. https://chatgpt.com/g/g-SjdA3TyRN-articulate-storyline-360

OpenAI. (2025b). ChatGPT (Apr 18 version) [Articulate rise 360 course creation assistant]. https://chatgpt.com/g/g-IuNO3G8iZ-articulate-rise-360-course-creation-assistant

OpenAI. (2025c). ChatGPT (Apr 18 version) [eLearning expert GPT]. https://chatgpt.com/g/g-ebUpvNBNX-elearning-expert-instructional-designer

Wu, R., & Yu, Z. (2024). Do AI chatbots improve student learning outcomes? Evidence from a meta-analysis. British Journal of Educational Technology, 55(10).

Christina Amato is Dean, eLearning; Sharon Tjaden Burkes is Senior Instructional Designer; Mary Jaqua is Assistant Director, Research, Development, and Labs; and Chuck Jones is Learning Management Development Specialist at Sinclair Community College in Dayton, Ohio.

Opinions expressed in Learning Abstracts are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect those of the League for Innovation in the Community College.