Joshua Harrell - CLASS AlignED: Bridging the Gap Between AI and Policy

When I look back on this research experience, I can honestly say it went far beyond what I expected. Being part of the CLASS AlignED project gave me the chance to work on something that felt meaningful, relevant, and bigger than just an assignment or presentation. Our project focused on bridging the gap between AI policy and classroom practice, an issue that is becoming increasingly important as AI continues to grow in higher education. It was exciting to be involved in research that addressed a real challenge and aimed to make AI use in education more practical, responsible, and effective.

One of the parts I appreciated most was the opportunity to collaborate with students from different grade levels and different areas of expertise. Everyone brought something different to the project, and that made our work stronger. I really enjoyed seeing how our ideas came together and how each person’s perspective helped shape the final product. Through this process, we worked on the CLASS AlignED framework, which looked at AI integration as more than just using a tool in the classroom. It considered the importance of policy, teaching guidance, infrastructure, and analytics all working together. That experience showed me how valuable collaboration can be when people are working toward the same purpose.

This project also helped me grow in ways that I did not fully expect. I learned more about conducting research as part of a team, communicating ideas clearly, and contributing to production-ready documentation professionally. More importantly, I gained a better understanding of how technology can be designed to support educators rather than overwhelm them. I found it especially meaningful that the project could have a positive impact on institutions such as HBCUs, where AI adoption may be increasing even when support systems are still catching up. That gave the work a deeper purpose for me and made the experience feel even more rewarding.

Another proud moment from this experience was presenting our paper, “Bridging Policy and Practice: The CLASS AlignED Framework for Responsible AI Integration in Higher Education,” which won second place at the 2026 ADMI Symposium. That recognition made all of the hard work, collaboration, and persistence feel even more meaningful. Overall, being part of this SGX3 project was an amazing experience, and it is something I will always consider one of the highlights of my master’s journey.