Teaching with AI: Creativity, Simulations, and Technology-Enhanced Learning with Dr. Cris Wildermuth

In this episode, Dan and Lauren are joined by Dr. Cris Wildermuth, Professor of Leadership and Program Director for the Master of Science in Leadership and Innovation and the B.S. in Organizational Leadership at Barry University. Cris is also a member of the ILA Leadership Education Academy facilitation team and brings more than two decades of experience as a leadership educator, researcher, and consultant.

The conversation explores how generative AI and technology-enhanced tools are changing what is possible in the leadership classroom — not by replacing good pedagogy, but by dramatically expanding the range of experiences educators can design and deliver. Cris shares how she uses vibe coding tools like Lovable and AI voice platforms like ElevenLabs to build immersive branched scenarios, simulations, and themed course experiences that would have been impractical or impossible before. She walks through concrete examples: an ethics course built around Game of Thrones, an online simulation using John Rawls' theory of justice played out through a dukes-knights-and-peasants game, and an alien-invasion metaphor for leading change. Dan and Lauren reflect alongside her on what it means for educators to be willing to fail, to stay curious, and to use AI as a lever for the kind of creative teaching that has always been at the heart of good leadership education.

Resources and works mentioned in this episode include:

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• Lovable — AI-powered vibe coding platform for building apps, simulations, and interactive learning tools through natural language prompts; used by Cris to create branched scenarios, board games, and logic simulations
• ElevenLabs — AI voice and video generation platform; used by Cris to create character voices and short video segments for immersive course scenarios
• Mollick, E. (2024). Co-Intelligence: Living and Working with AI. Portfolio/Penguin. — referenced by Dan in connection with teachers as skilled prompt engineers; Mollick is an associate professor at the Wharton School and directs the Generative AI Lab
• John Rawls' Theory of Justice — discussed in connection with Cris's dukes-knights-and-peasants simulation, used to teach ethical leadership and systems of fairness
• Mentimeter — audience engagement and polling tool referenced among technologies that support both in-person and virtual learning spaces
• Slido — live polling and Q&A platform referenced alongside Mentimeter and Kahoot as part of the technology toolkit for interactive facilitation
• Kahoot! — game-based learning platform referenced in the same context
• Barry University — Leadership Programs — Cris's institutional home; she directs the B.S. in Organizational Leadership and the M.S. in Leadership and Innovation
• ILA Leadership Education Academy — Cris serves on the faculty facilitation team; Dan also collaborates with her through LEA