The New Challenge of Educating Future Leaders
By David Foster, Partner, Scalable Learning
We just completed a very successful pilot of a new Coached Case. It is Scalable Learning’s first foray into management education. Though for our founding team, it is hardly our first. All of us previously worked for ExecOnline, a leading provider of leadership development services in the online space.
It is interesting to contrast ExecOnline’s challenges with our own. At ExecOnline, corporate “participants” (not “students”) took 3- or 6-week online courses built around lecture videos delivered by marquee management experts, and live webinars, and, not least, a meaningful assignment.
That assignment was to identify, with our help, a real problem in their own organization and to apply a structured approach to solving it. In that sense, ExecOnline was partly a refined form of performance support.
Higher education has a somewhat different problem. At a moment when universities are under pressure to prove their value, they are still much better at teaching concepts and analysis than at giving students repeated practice in real-time managerial judgment. That is what made our new OB case study, piloted at DePaul University’s Driehaus College of Business, so interesting to us.
The subject matter of our interactive cases is comparable to that of, say, HBS cases. But ours of course are highly interactive, and now LLM-powered to accelerate learning and to make it infinitely more engaging and personalized.
But ExecOnline and Scalable Learning share the focus on engagement, learner empathy, and impact. So it was not surprising to us that the pilot results were strong. Student ratings on Insight into People-Management, Engagement, and Coaching Effectiveness all came in between 4 and 5, with 4.6 for both Insight and Engagement, and 4.4 for Coaching. Students described the experience as engaging, valuable, and authentic. One wrote: “It didn’t feel like homework it felt like playing an online game.” Another said, “I liked how interactive it was, and I felt like I was actually part of it.”
Higher education needs to provide new kinds of learning experiences like this.
Scalable Learning Completes Successful Pilot with Des Moines University Occupational Therapy Program
It all begins with an idea.
Chicago, IL — April 10, 2026 — Scalable Learning today announced the successful completion of a pilot program with Des Moines University's Doctor of Occupational Therapy (OTD) program. The four-week pilot tested an AI-powered coached case module with 24 students, generating strong quantitative and qualitative results that validate the effectiveness of their unique Coached Cases format for health sciences education.
What Students Said
One student reflected on the experience: "This was my first experience utilizing an AI online learning module and I am pleasantly surprised how easy it was to navigate, but also informative." Another added, "The real-world experience that tied into the module will help me remember the takeaways from this content. Other online learning is not engaging or involves passive engagement, while this active engagement was much more valuable."
Strong Quantitative Results
The students provided post-module feedback across five survey dimensions:
| Metric | Score |
|---|---|
| Comparison to Other Learning Experiences | 4.74 / 5 |
| Engagement | 4.61 / 5 |
| Pacing | 4.57 / 5 |
| Confidence in Clinical Skills | 4.26 / 5 |
| Understanding of Core Concepts | 4.13 / 5 |
The 4.74 comparison score indicates students rated this module significantly higher than other learning experiences they'd encountered in their program.
What the Data Revealed
Beyond survey responses, analysis of student work showed meaningful learning outcomes:
Students conducted thoughtful, layered interviews with AI stakeholders, connecting surface observations to underlying clinical reasoning
Written analyses were substantive and specific, with students demonstrating genuine problem-solving rather than surface-level engagement
AI-generated effort scores provided faculty with a diagnostic signal about which students engaged deeply versus superficially
"The data confirmed what we suspected," said Patrick Geiger, co-founder of Scalable Learning. "Students aren't just going through the motions. They're thinking clinically, asking good questions, and building reasoning skills that are genuinely hard to teach in a classroom."
Exploring an OT Library of Modules
These pilot results validate a bigger vision: building a library of modules covering diverse practice settings and aligned with ACOTE (Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education) standards.
To build this library well, Scalable Learning is exploring partnerships with OT programs willing to co-develop modules. The collaboration would involve faculty helping to identify curriculum gaps and reviewing module designs for clinical accuracy, while Scalable Learning handles content production and platform development.
"We've learned that the hardest-to-teach classroom skills like clinical reasoning, stakeholder communication, and navigating difficult conversations are exactly what this format is designed to practice," Geiger said. "But building a library that actually serves OT education requires input from faculty who know where students struggle most."
About the Pilot Module
The pilot tested a module focused on Quality Improvement in a school-based OT setting. Students took on the role of an occupational therapy consultant investigating why referral rates at one school differed dramatically from district averages. They conducted a realistic interview with a teacher, analyzed findings, and received individualized coaching feedback on their reasoning and communication approach.
About Scalable Learning
Scalable Learning develops cutting-edge, AI-driven learning experiences that promote active knowledge construction and real-world skill development at scale. Learn more at scalablelearning.net.
New Study by Media Education Lab Highlights Promise of Scalable Learning’s AI-Powered Learning Modules
Pilot study demonstrates that innovative technology helps students examine multiple perspectives and recognize bias in polarized media environment.
Chicago, IL – November 25, 2025 — A new working paper from the Media Education Lab released today provides results from a pilot study examining BOSILOS (Bust Open the Silos), an innovative AI-supported learning module developed by Scalable Learning, LLC. The module helps students navigate partisan media and practice perspective-taking in politically polarized environments.
The study, conducted with 16 undergraduate students at California State University, Channel Islands, found that the interactive module successfully engaged students in critically examining media bias while developing their ability to communicate across ideological divides.
Key Findings:
Students consistently reported high engagement with the AI-powered platform, finding it intuitive and easy to use. The module proved particularly effective at prompting reflection on personal bias and the challenges of perspective-taking. Notably, students demonstrated improved ability to craft conservative counterarguments when responding to liberal-leaning content on immigration, suggesting the tool's potential for building rhetorical flexibility.
"BOSILOS succeeded in engaging students in the complex work of identifying bias, adopting new perspectives, and considering rhetorical strategies for reaching audiences with different political views," the research team noted.
How It Works:
The BOSILOS module places students in the role of "Designated Opposition" responders, asking them to analyze partisan media coverage of topics like climate change and immigration, then craft thoughtful responses aimed at opposing audiences. The system provides real-time, personalized feedback through carefully designed AI prompts, helping students refine their arguments and consider different audience perspectives.
Unlike free-form chatbots, BOSILOS uses structured AI integration where the software orchestrates content delivery, feedback timing, and response evaluation to ensure pedagogically sound and repeatable learning experiences.
Broader Implications:
The pilot demonstrates how AI can be embedded directly into instructional design to provide personalized coaching at scale—addressing what researcher Benjamin Bloom identified as the challenge of bringing individualized tutoring benefits to group learning contexts.
"This represents a major technological shift," said David Foster of Scalable Learning. "Generative AI now makes it possible to deliver personalized coaching far more flexibly and at a fraction of the cost of traditional computer-based tutoring systems."
Future iterations will test the module with larger, more diverse student populations.
About the Study:
The pilot was conducted in summer 2025 with students enrolled in "Media Literacy and Youth Culture" at California State University, Channel Islands. Researchers collected data through student writing samples, think-aloud protocols, reflective essays, and post-activity surveys.
Access the full working paper: "Bust Open the Silos (BOSILOS): A Pilot Study of AI-Supported Media Literacy in Higher Education".
About Scalable Learning:
Scalable Learning LLC is an educational technology innovator specializing in AI-powered personalized learning experiences. The company combines generative AI with evidence-based instructional design to deliver scalable, effective learning solutions for critical 21st-century skills. Learn more at scalablelearning.net.
About Media Education Lab:
The Media Education Lab is a public benefit corporation that advances the practice of media literacy education through leadership development, research and scholarship, and community engagement. Learn more at mediaeducationlab.com.
Scalable Learning Partners with OT Potential to Transform How Occupational Therapy Students Learn
It all begins with an idea.
Chicago, IL — November 17, 2025 — Scalable Learning, in partnership with OT Potential, today announced the launch of Reality Checks — a series of interactive, generative-AI–powered training modules that shift student learning from passive consumption to active problem solving.
"Our AI-powered modules are an ideal complement to existing Occupational Therapy education,” said Scalable Learning Partner Steven Shaklan. “These students typically receive a good grounding in essential concepts during their in-person classes, but to really build skills and develop professional behaviors they need practice addressing nuanced situations like those they’ll face in the real world. We’ve provided an immersive experience that allows them to stretch their thinking and learn from mistakes in a safe and supportive environment."
As AI becomes ubiquitous in education, concerns have grown about its ability to stunt learning by making tasks too easy. But OT Potential and Scalable Learning are approaching the problem from the opposite direction, leveraging AI’s ability to challenge thinking and provide realistic practice.
“We’ve all quickly become familiar with the problem that AI can undermine learning by giving answers too easily,” said Sarah Lyon, OTR/L, founder and CEO of OT Potential. “But building these modules has opened my eyes to how AI can actually help us fix persistent problems in healthcare education—especially the challenge of simulating the complex, real-world scenarios our students face. These modules create the kind of emotional realism, pressure, and rapid decision-making that students rarely get to practice before they enter the workforce.”
Preparing Future Clinicians Through Situational, Case-Based Learning
The first two AI Learning Modules focus on quality improvement (QI)—directly supporting student preparedness for the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE) standards related to QI understanding and application.
Each 30-minute module:
Presents a real-world QI case grounded in projects from contemporary clinical practice
Allows learners to hold timed, emotionally realistic conversations with AI-generated team members
Mimics the fast pace and interpersonal nuance of real healthcare environments
Concludes with an AI-powered coaching debrief to synthesize learning and reinforce clinical reasoning
The modules are designed for:
University programs, to support classroom teaching, simulation, and assessment
Self-study, allowing students to prepare in their own time
Continuing education, with plans to pursue AOTA CEU approval for practicing clinicians
Early Rollout at the University of Pittsburgh
The AI Learning Modules are being piloted at the University of Pittsburgh under the leadership of Alyson Stover, OTD, OTR/L, BCP, FAOTA, with early feedback anticipated prior to public release.
Launch Timeline & Availability
November 17, 2025: Initial rollout to University of Pittsburgh students and a small focus group
December 11, 2025: Full release to members of The OT Potential Club
2026: Expansion to additional university programs and availability for CEU credit (pending approval)
A New Approach to AI in Education
Rather than replacing human teaching or simplifying coursework, OT Potential and Scalable Learning are using AI to solve a longstanding problem in healthcare education: how to give students repeated, psychologically realistic opportunities to practice the complexity of clinical work.
“Healthcare is inherently complex, fast-paced, and human,” Lyon said. “We believe generative AI—when used responsibly—can immerse students in this complexity earlier, more authentically, and more often than traditional classroom learning allows.”
About Scalable Learning
Scalable Learning develops cutting-edge, AI-driven learning experiences that promote active knowledge construction and real-world skill development at scale. Learn more at scalablelearning.net.
About OT Potential
OT Potential is a leading educational platform for occupational therapy professionals and students, offering evidence-based continuing education, the top-ranked OT podcast on Spotify, and a growing suite of AI-powered learning and decision-support tools. Learn more at otpotential.com.
Why Students Expect Learning to Feel Conversational
By David Foster, Partner, Scalable Learning
Sept 10, 2025 - I was reviewing a transcript from one of our micro-cases the other day. In this one, the simulated coach was guiding a student through a tricky decision. The coach would offer a prompt, the student would type a short response, and the coach would follow up with something a little sharper or more specific. Nothing flashy. Just a steady, easy rhythm: nudge, reply, adjust.
What struck me was how natural it all read. The student wasn’t trying to “drive” the conversation. She was simply engaging the way she engages with everything else online—short messages, small steps, quick thinking. You could feel her getting pulled into the process without realizing it.
The rest of the digital world sets this pattern. Apps respond to what you do next. Search tools reshape themselves around your wording. Even entertainment adapts on the fly. Students live in a feedback loop. They’re used to systems that don’t just deliver information but react to it.
And that’s where older course materials fall behind. A PDF, a video, a set of static slides—they speak once and then fall silent. When a student tries to push back or test an idea, the format has no way to meet them. It’s not bad content. It’s just mismatched to the habits students now bring to learning.
Economics drive this shift too. Colleges need ways to support more learners with fewer hours of faculty time. A single well-designed module can carry the workload that once required dozens of repeated explanations across a department. It doesn’t replace the instructor. It just picks up the predictable, time-consuming parts.
Instructors appreciate this more than anyone. A conversational module gives them leverage. It handles the groundwork. It scales instantly. It frees their time for the sort of teaching that actually needs a human voice and judgment.
So the move toward conversational learning isn’t happening because chat interfaces are fashionable. It’s happening because the format fits both the way students learn and the way institutions now operate. It’s the path of least resistance. And in education, that’s usually the path that ends up becoming the norm.
Scalable Learning Partners with Media Education Lab to Improve Student Media Literacy
Chicago, IL – July 27, 2025 – Scalable Learning LLC today announced the launch of an innovative AI-powered learning module that will transform how students develop critical media literacy skills. Developed in partnership with the Media Education Lab, the new "BOSILOS" (Bust Open the Silos) module represents a breakthrough in personalized education technology.
The module leverages AI technology to deliver immersive, role-play learning experiences that help students navigate today's complex partisan media landscape. Unlike traditional media literacy programs, Bosilos provides real-time, personalized feedback tailored to each student's responses and learning style.
"We're pioneering a powerful new approach to personalized learning," said David Foster, Partner at Scalable Learning. "By embedding AI-powered experiences into educational programs, we're able to scale high-quality, interactive instruction that adapts to each learner's needs."
Key Module Features
BOSILOS is a 30-40 minute online complement to students’ in-class programming, combining:
Engaging multimedia content: Short animated videos that illustrate key concepts
Interactive AI-driven conversations: Dynamic role-play scenarios that respond to student choices
Personalized feedback: Real-time, adaptive guidance based on individual responses
Secure, seamless deployment: Easy integration with existing educational infrastructure
Initial Release
Pilot testing with undergraduates at a major state university will be conducted in August, expanding to three additional universities this fall. Media Education Lab (MEL) and Scalable learning will collect and document impact and engagement data.
Addressing a Critical Need
As misinformation and partisan media continue to challenge democratic discourse, Scalable Learning's technology offers educational institutions a scalable, effective solution for developing students' media literacy competencies. The platform's AI-driven approach ensures consistent, high-quality instruction while allowing for personalized learning paths.
About Scalable Learning LLC
Scalable Learning LLC is an educational technology innovator specializing in AI-powered personalized learning experiences. The company combines generative AI with evidence-based instructional design to deliver scalable, effective learning solutions for critical 21st-century skills. Learn more at scalablelearning.net.
About the Media Education Lab
The Media Education Lab is a public benefit corporation that advances the practice of media literacy education through leadership development, research and scholarship, and community engagement. For more information, visit mediaeducationlab.com