Inside the Learning Experience with WGU Labs

2025 wasn’t just another year for higher education; it was the moment theory turned into reality. Institutions stopped planning for AI and started deploying it. Things broke. New tools emerged. And long-standing assumptions about how students learn, how credentials work, and who controls educational pathways began to crack.In this episode of the Inside the Learning Experience Podcast, we dive deep into our 2025 End of Year Impact Report to examine how AI is being used to tackle higher education’s most persistent wicked problems.

What happens when students don’t get the help they need, despite institutions offering robust support services? In this episode of Inside the Learning Experience, WGU Labs researchers unpack what they’re learning from students as they design Stu, an AI-powered student support tool built to proactively connect learners with the right resources at the right time.Betheny Gross is joined by senior research scientists Youngki Hong and Stephanie Reeves to explore why student support services are underutilized, how barriers like belonging, stigma, and awareness shape help-seeking behaviors, and where AI can and can’t step in. Drawing on large-scale surveys, interviews, and early user testing, the conversation highlights critical design insights, equity considerations, and open research questions around personalization, trust, and the role of AI in supporting motivation, belonging, and long-term student success.

What does it take to build an AI mentor—and what data should power it?In this episode of Inside the Learning Experience, WGU Labs explores how AI can support students by scaling mentoring, personalizing guidance, and connecting learners to the right resources at the right time.

In this episode of Inside the Learning Experience, host Betheny Gross, director of research, and research coordinator Susie Chen explore how WGU Labs is reimagining student support through proactive, data-informed technology. STU is a first-of-its-kind student-facing AI assistant built to identify when students might be struggling and reach out before challenges escalate. From connecting learners to academic coaching and mental health resources to helping normalize help-seeking behaviors, STU is designed to make belonging structural, not accidental.Listen in as we discuss how technology, empathy, and design can come together to create more equitable support systems that meet students where they are—before they even ask.

Mental health challenges are reshaping the student experience, but traditional counseling can’t reach everyone. In this episode of Inside the Learning Experience podcast, we discuss the findings in Beyond Counseling: Unlocking Student Belonging through Peer Connection, one of our latest reports, which provides an overview of the pilot with WGU and Flourish Labs that tested professional peer support as a scalable complement to clinical services.Learn how peer supporters with shared lived experiences helped students build confidence, focus, and a stronger sense of belonging, and what higher ed leaders need to know about implementing these models effectively.This podcast episode was made using Notebook LM.

In this episode of Inside the Learning Experience, host Omid Fotuhi, the former Director of Learning Innovation at WGU Labs, sits down with Katy Kappler, Co-founder and CEO of InScribe, to explore how digital communities are transforming online education.Katy shares her journey from the early days of eCollege to founding InScribe, a platform designed to foster connection, belonging, and social capital among nontraditional and online learners. Together, they discuss why a sense of belonging is critical for student success, how AI can support (without replacing) human connection, and why the future of online education depends on designing for community.🎧 Tune in to learn how intentional community-building can turn isolation into inclusion — and make online learning more human than ever before.

This episode highlights students' perceptions, usage, and expectations regarding AI in higher education, particularly within online learning environments. Data from WGU Labs’ survey of over 4600 students suggests that respondents are largely optimistic about AI's potential for personalized learning, however, significant gender disparities in AI confidence and usage exist. The findings underscore the critical need for expanded AI literacy, ethical implementation, and student-centered design of AI tools in education. Access the published report here.Inside the Learning Experience explores the future of education through conversations with experts in learning design, technology, and academic research, diving into the evolution of learning, the challenges students face, and how we can create more effective, equitable, and impactful educational experiences.

How can artificial intelligence transform the way we teach and learn? In this episode of Inside the Learning Experience, host Omid Fotuhi, Director of Learning Innovation at WGU Labs, sits down with Lita Simanga-Hooper, a seasoned educator and instructional design expert at Labs, to explore the fast-changing role of instruction in a world transformed by artificial intelligence. 👉 Don’t forget to like, share, and subscribe for more insights on the future of education.

What does it mean to “live in the tension” of AI and education? In this episode, host Omid Fotuhi speaks with Tadd Farmer, Senior Learning Experience Designer at WGU Labs, to explore the tensions and opportunities at the intersection of learning design and artificial intelligence.

Omid Fotuhi and Katrina Wehr Gould, lead learning experience designer at WGU Labs, explore how AI is transforming assessment from a one-time judgment into a personalized, ongoing learning journey. They discuss the potential for technology to capture authentic growth, support intrinsic motivation, and create a more inclusive, empowering educational experience. Inside the Learning Experience features conversations with experts in learning design, technology, and academic research—unpacking the future of education, student challenges, and how innovation can drive more effective and equitable learning environments.

A new microcredential from WGU Academy and WGU Labs is helping adult learners build practical leadership skills for frontline roles in retail, hospitality, and food service—bridging the gap between education and employment with research-driven, scenario-based design.Inside the Learning Experience explores the future of education through conversations with experts in learning design, technology, and academic research, diving into the evolution of learning, the challenges students face, and how we can create more effective, equitable, and impactful educational experiences.

New research from WGU Labs and SAVI sheds light on who is struggling most as student loan payments resume. This episode explores what the data reveals about repayment challenges, persistent disparities, and the borrowers left behind.Inside the Learning Experience explores the future of education through conversations with experts in learning design, technology, and academic research, diving into the evolution of learning, the challenges students face, and how we can create more effective, equitable, and impactful educational experiences.

In this episode of Inside the Learning Experience, WGU Labs delves into the challenges faced by students who leave college without completing their degrees. Through expert insights and data-driven analysis, the discussion sheds light on the systemic barriers and personal circumstances that contribute to non-completion. The episode also explores strategies that institutions can implement to better support these students, aiming to foster a more inclusive and effective higher education system.Tune in to gain a deeper understanding of how higher education can evolve to meet the needs of all learners, ensuring that more students have the opportunity to achieve their academic goals.

From WGU Labs, Research Director Dr. Bethany Gross and Learning Experience Designer Christine McDonough explore what it really takes to build AI tutors that go beyond question-and-answer exchanges. They discuss how learning science, adaptive instruction, and multi-agent systems are transforming the way students engage with content—and how AI can create more personalized, dynamic, and scalable learning experiences rooted in real mastery.Inside the Learning Experience explores the future of education through conversations with experts in learning design, technology, and academic research, diving into the evolution of learning, the challenges students face, and how we can create more effective, equitable, and impactful educational experiences.

From WGU Labs, Research Director Dr. Betheny Gross and Lead Learning Experience Designer Lesley Reilly, discuss the impact of AI on educational assessments and how it’s shaping the future of teaching by creating interactive scenarios that allow students to practice skills in a safe, low-risk environment.Inside the Learning Experience explores the future of education through conversations with experts in learning design, technology, and academic research, diving into the evolution of learning, the challenges students face, and how we can create more effective, equitable, and impactful educational experiences.