Gila Kurtz: Is the Lecture Dead? Redesigning Learning in the Age of Generative AI

About the Colloquium

The traditional lecture, a cornerstone of academic teaching for centuries, now faces a significant challenge as generative AI (GenAI) transforms student learning methods. With the advent of large language models that offer instant explanations, personalized tutoring, and synthesized content, the conventional one-to-many knowledge transmission model has lost its primary role in information dissemination. This presentation explores whether lectures are indeed obsolete or require a fundamental reimagining in the GenAI era. Based on our recent comparative research in higher education, I contend that the lecture is not defunct but rather displaced; its value has transitioned from mere information delivery to facilitating sense-making, exemplifying expert reasoning, and fostering epistemic agency. In my talk, I will present best-practice examples. I conclude by discussing the practical implications for curriculum design and the evolving social contract between faculty and students in an era where answers are readily available but meaningful understanding remains challenging to achieve.

This Colloquium will be moderated by Bettina Berendt (Director, PI) 

About Gila Kurtz

In July 2026 Gila Kurtz is a Fellow at the Weizenbaum Institute within the research group "Education for the Digital World". She is the Dean of the Faculty of Instructional Technologies at the Holon Institute of Technology (HIT), Israel. As a leading voice in instructional technologies, Gila Kurtz is deeply committed to shaping the future of digital education. She contributes to the global academic community through her leadership at HIT and her engagement with international research networks, striving to develop strategies that ensure responsible adoption of technology in education.

Participation via Zoom

Meeting-ID: 621 4863 7282, Code: 057478