The College of Pharmacy’s Fall Interprofessional Day will receive the Outstanding Practice Award at the 2026 Association for Educational Communications & Technology (AECT) International Convention in November, recognizing the innovative integration of AI-enhanced avatar technology into the event’s instructional design.
The UGA program selection was based on its 2025 integration of AI-enhanced avatar technology into an interprofessional learning experience, demonstrating how emerging educational technology can be intentionally designed around meaningful learning objectives and student engagement. The avatar-based experience placed students in an interactive learning environment where they could engage with realistic scenarios, communicate with peers from other disciplines, and apply knowledge in a collaborative setting. The instructional design moved beyond the use of technology as a demonstration tool, incorporating the avatar as an integral component of the learning experience.
The award honors individuals or groups who have designed exemplary instructional materials or systems. To be considered, nominated materials or systems must have been designed no earlier than 2025. Award submissions are evaluated based on the quality of the instructional events, the directions provided for using the materials or system, and evidence demonstrating their effectiveness through performance and/or participant-attitude data.
An Instructional System Designed for Interprofessional Learning
The Fall Interprofessional Day experience was designed to bring together students from pharmacy, medicine, nursing, and social work to develop the communication, teamwork, problem-solving and collaborative skills needed for effective professional practice.
Within the avatar-enhanced activities, students participated in structured instructional events that required them to engage with scenarios, make decisions and collaborate with members of other disciplines. Faculty facilitators provided directions and guidance to support participation and help students connect the activities to the broader goals of interprofessional education.
The instructional design also incorporated opportunities for reflection and discussion, allowing students to consider their performance, communication, and team-based decision-making following the avatar activities. This combination of interactive instructional events clearly defined implementation guidance and assessment of learning and participant experience, which directly addresses the criteria established for the AECT award.
Evidence Demonstrating Effectiveness
According to Dr. Timothy Brown, Director of Interprofessional Education at the UGA College of Pharmacy, the results from the Fall Interprofessional Day demonstrated self-assessed improvement across the established competencies, particularly in teamwork and communication. Participant and facilitator qualitative feedback articulated appreciation for including simulated patients, particularly when a human standardized patient was used, and how that enhanced teamwork contributed toward a patient-centered care plan. These results helped demonstrate that the innovation was not simply a novel application of technology, but an instructional approach supported by evidence of student learning and/or positive learner response.
Student reflection of the learning activity was supportive. Said one participant, “It was nice having an AI to interact with. It was like a real person in that the responses were based on what you asked and not simply scripted.”
Another student commented, “The avatar patient had a little bit of personality to her and that was helpful, because it was nice to interact with someone who wasn’t monotone. She also answered very vaguely, which reinforced discussion with the team members and prompted everyone to ask clarifying questions.”
“The avatar seemed to behave differently based on which profession it was talking to,” commented a fellow student. “For example, it tended to open up more to the social workers than with the other professionals. This showed me the importance of sometimes having different people ask the same questions to the patient to gather as much information as possible.”
Recognition at the 2026 AECT International Convention
The AECT Design and Development Division’s Outstanding Practice Award will be presented to Dr. Tim Brown, Director of Interprofessional Education at the UGA College of Pharmacy, and Dr. Jie “Jennifer” Lu, faculty member at the UGA Mary Frances Early College of Education, during the International Convention in November 2026. The recognition places UGA’s Fall Interprofessional Day among examples of exemplary instructional design and development practice recognized by the educational technology community.
