Ashland, Ohio – September 12, 2026 -- Ashland University and nonprofit Ed3 have launched a statewide partnership to deliver pedagogy-first AI literacy courses to K-12 educators across Ohio, aiming to reach thousands of teachers when the program goes live in June 2026.
Ashland University pairs district network with Ed3's AI training model
The collaboration combines Ashland University's existing relationships with Ohio school districts and education service centers with Ed3's pedagogy-first AI professional learning framework. Courses will be offered for graduate credit and continuing education units (CEUs), with stackable credential pathways for educators building qualifications over time.
Curriculum aligns with Ohio's AI in Education Coalition Strategy
The program is designed to align with Ohio's AI in Education Coalition Strategy and model policy guidelines, moving educators from policy awareness to classroom practice. Rather than focusing on individual AI tools, the curriculum targets teacher judgment and instructional confidence in AI-integrated classrooms.
Dr. James Powell, Executive Director of Professional Learning Services at Ashland University, said most existing AI literacy training has been tool-based, centered on tasks like helping students edit writing, and that a pedagogy-first shift is now the priority for educator development.
Ed3 brings track record of 20,000+ educator enrollments nationally
Ed3, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, has supported more than 20,000 educator enrollments in its AI courses across 48 U.S. states through university and professional learning partners. The organization also leads The Portrait of a Teacher in the Age of AI, a national research and development initiative examining how the teacher role must change under AI adoption.
The partnership is intended to expand Ashland University's online enrollment capacity to serve Ohio districts that have not previously had access to structured AI professional learning.