Becoming Learning Designers: Expert Guidance and AI Collaboration in a Five-Iteration Case Study of K-12 STEM Curriculum Redesign

This study tracks a teacher’s transition into a learning designer through five iterative cycles of the Balance Bird Production curriculum redesign, supported by expert mentorship and generative AI. Qualitative analysis revealed a four-phase progression: from novice dependence on expert frameworks/AI examples to reflective innovation. Experts offered pedagogical scaffolding while AI enabled granular solutions, necessitating critical filtering. The proposed Expert-AI-Teacher triad balances AI’s rapid ideation with expert pedagogical coherence, empowering teachers as adaptive, critical designers.