Scalable Learning Partners with OT Potential to Transform How Occupational Therapy Students Learn
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.
