Meet Concordia Nebraska AI in Teaching and Learning course designer David Black

David Black serves Concordia University, Nebraska as an adjunct professor and course designer for the university's Artificial Intelligence in Teaching and Learning certificate. He also serves as director of Lights Academy and teacher at Lutheran High School in Parker, Colorado. 

Black has a bachelor’s degree from Concordia University Wisconsin and a master’s degree from Butler University. He has served at Concordia Nebraska almost three years. 

“Crafting the courses for the AI in Teaching and Learning certificate has been a significant challenge given the pace and scope of disruption brought by AI.”

“Crafting the courses for the AI in Teaching and Learning certificate has been a significant challenge given the pace and scope of disruption brought by AI,” explained Black. “So much in life and education is changing quickly. As a result, I have stayed as up to date as possible on emerging tools and data-driven practices that will inform the course activities. I am also writing these courses in such a way that they can adapt to new tools, trends and research. Therefore, the target audience for these courses is anyone who has any sort of educational interest in AI, whether they be classroom teachers, early childhood specialists, administrators, school technology specialists, DCEs, pastors or anyone that is ready to embrace this topic with deep thought and discernment.” 

The Concordia Nebraska Artificial Intelligence in Teaching and Learning allows program participants to explore AI tools and applications in PreK-12 education, including strategies for integrating AI into curriculum design, using AI for differentiated instruction and addressing ethical challenges in the classroom. 

“One of the elements I appreciate most about Concordia Nebraska is its Christ-centered focus in all it does,” said Black. “Being able to craft everything I write and lead in these courses through the lens of faith is essential in a sin-stained world and modeling that for my students as they impact others in their respective vocations is a blessing.” 

Graduate education certificates from Concordia University, Nebraska provide the tools for educators and others to develop and specialize their abilities and enhance their impact on student learning. 

“As an adjunct professor, I appreciate the opportunity that Concordia Nebraska has given me to, with the help of the Holy Spirit, impact not only the high school students that are in my classroom each day but also those in higher education. In my current role, Concordia Nebraska also provides me with flexibility to be successful in both realms,” he said. “I think that Concordia aids in my faith development through the opportunities to explore faith connections with so many things in life, especially AI, through my course writing and teaching.” 

Black and his wife Gail and have been married for 36 years, and Gail serves as the director of parish music at Shepherd of the Hills in Centennial, Colorado. They have three adult daughters, one of whom - Carrie ’21 - attended Concordia Nebraska. Black is also a self-described “huge baseball fan” and regularly attends more than 30 professional games a year while researching and writing about baseball for the Society of American Baseball Research (SABR). 

Concordia University, Nebraska’s Artificial Intelligence in Teaching and Learning graduate certificate is built to help educators turn emerging tools into better instruction, fairer practices, and more time for the human work of teaching. Learn more about the certificate and available single-course offerings on Concordia’s graduate studies page.