Faculty Case Studies
Course Production Efficiency
Visualizing Historical Literature
Strategy: Use AI-Generated Visuals to Support Interpretation of Historically Distant Texts.
Artificial Intelligence image tools can be used to enhance learner engagement and comprehension in literature courses where historical distance and limited visual artifacts present challenges. By creating illustrative visuals aligned to themes, characters, and concepts, instructors can help students contextualize complex readings and bridge gaps in imagination, supporting deeper literary analysis and interpretation.
ENL 3230 鈥 British Literature 1616鈥1780
In ENL 3230 British Literature 1616鈥1780, Dr. Tim Turner and Learning Designer Bailey
Cleveland collaborated to address the challenge of providing meaningful visual context
for 17th- and 18th-century British literature.
Because visual materials from this period are often limited to author portraits, students
can struggle to visualize themes, settings, and characters described in complex literary
texts. To support comprehension and engagement, AI-generated images were incorporated
into module overviews and lecture presentations using Adobe Firefly and Microsoft
Copilot. These visuals were intentionally prompt-designed to represent abstract literary
concepts and imagined scenes, such as visual interpretations of carpe diem or speculative
renderings of characters like the Duchess of Malfi and her brothers. Rather than serving
as historical reconstructions, the images provided interpretive context that helped
students grapple with challenging texts and thematic ideas.
This approach added visual interest to a traditionally text-heavy subject and supported
students in forming mental models that enhanced understanding, discussion, and analysis
of early modern and Neoclassical literature.
AI-Enabled Tools Used: Adobe Firefly (image generation), Microsoft Copilot (image generation)
Digital Learning Designer Tips
- If a concept is difficult to understand and would benefit from additional visuals, AI can be prompted to generate images that provide context. For example, for the English Civil War: 鈥淎 stylized street scene with a lifelike statue of a man in early 17th-century military garb.鈥
- AI-generated images can reflect character descriptions, helping students bridge gaps in imagination and deepen engagement with the subject.
Quick Details
Faculty Developer: Tim Turner, Ph.D.
College: Department of English
Learning Designer: Bailey Cleveland
AI Tools Used: Adobe Firefly, Microsoft Copilot