Auburn College of Education Associate Professor Amy Serafini and Thomas Outlaw
As military personnel increasingly rely on distance learning to prepare for expanded leadership responsibilities through Professional Military Education (PME), one doctoral student in Auburn’s College of Education is researching how artificial intelligence can best support military learners in distance education.
Lt. Col. Thomas J. Outlaw is an active-duty United States Air Force officer and doctoral candidate in Administration of Supervision and Curriculum, a program in the College of Education’s Department of Education Foundations, Leadership, and Technology.
Outlaw examined the role of AI in supporting students enrolled in PME distance learning, and his dissertation provides practical guidance for military educators wishing to thoughtfully incorporate AI into online learning environments.
“Distance learning provides tremendous flexibility for military students who are balancing coursework with operational responsibilities, family obligations and career demands,” Outlaw said. “At the same time, it can be difficult to provide the same level of personalized support, interaction, and feedback that students might receive in a more traditional learning environment. That is where I believe artificial intelligence has significant potential.”
While distance learning programs provide the flexibility and access necessary for military personnel to continue their education, these programs also face challenges related to student engagement, individual support and learner persistence. Outlaw aimed to address these challenges by designing and evaluating an AI-supported learning experience by embedding an AI literacy module and optional chatbot named Athena into an existing orientation course for Airman Leadership School and Noncommissioned Officer Academy distance learning students.
“My interest is not simply in using AI because it is new or innovative, but in understanding how it might help create learning experiences that better reflect individual learning styles, student needs, career aspirations and personal interests,” Outlaw said. “I believe AI has the potential to make distance education more responsive, more personalized and more supportive for military learners.”
The study examined pre- and post-assessment performance, chatbot usage and learner perceptions of usefulness, ease of use, engagement and satisfaction of 177 consenting participants. Findings revealed no statistically significant differences in academic performance or learner perceptions between chatbot users and nonusers, but learners who entered the course with greater familiarity of AI reported more positive perceptions of the AI-supported learning experience.
According to Outlaw, these findings indicate that simply making AI available is unlikely to improve learning outcomes and that effective implementation of AI requires purposeful integration into coursework, structured opportunities for student interaction and clear guidance on when and how AI should be used.
“My research reinforced that simply giving students access to a new technology is not enough. Access alone does not guarantee meaningful engagement,” Outlaw said. “Whether in military education, higher education or organizational leadership, effective innovation requires more than adopting new tools. It requires intentional design, learner readiness, human support and continuous evaluation.”
According to Amy Serafini, associate professor and chair of Outlaw’s dissertation, his research highlights the importance of intentional instructional design.
“This research demonstrates that successful AI implementation depends on more than providing access to technology,” Serafini said. “Learners must understand how and when to use AI in ways that strengthen the educational experience. Even in an era of artificial intelligence, relationships still matter, and the greatest impact occurs when technology supports, rather than replaces, meaningful human connection.”
Outlaw credited Auburn’s College of Education for allowing him to build an interdisciplinary path that supported both his academic interests and the practical needs of his Air Force research context.
“My experience in Auburn’s College of Education was exceptional,” Outlaw said. “I am incredibly grateful for the support, flexibility and encouragement I received throughout the program. My dissertation topic required me to explore areas that extended beyond traditional education coursework, especially because AI-supported learning sits at the intersection of education, technology, data and organizational implementation. I was given the flexibility to take courses across computer science, engineering and business, which allowed me to dive deeper into the necessary topics for my dissertation.”
Outlaw’s research contributes to the growing body of scholarship examining AI in higher education while providing practical recommendations for leaders responsible for designing and delivering military distance learning programs.