From AI Prompts to Museum Walls

What happens when students don’t simply use artificial intelligence—but help shape how it belongs in the classroom?

For Dr. Shantanu Tilak, Director of CERTI at CBA and a psychology professor at Batten University, that question grew into a two-year experiment that ultimately reached a museum.

The project began with a student idea: use generative AI to transform psychology concepts into visual stories. Across three Psychology 101 classes and 60 students, each group built upon what the previous class had learned. Students experimented with prompts, worked through inconsistent AI-generated results, refined their storytelling, and helped improve the assignment for those who followed.

The mistakes weren’t failures—they became valuable data.

This iterative approach reflects action science: learning by doing, reflecting on the results, and using those discoveries to shape what happens next.

By the third round, the project had grown beyond the classroom. Using the Glowforge laser cutter in CBA’s makerspace, students transformed selected storyboards from digital images into physical works of art. The finished pieces were then exhibited at Virginia MOCA during Community Day and are now on display in the Barbara Fine ARTLab at the new location.

AI prompt → psychology classroom → CBA makerspace → museum wall

The project’s journey continues. Dr. Tilak’s research, From AI Storyboards to Museum Walls: Reimagining Psychology Education Through Action Science, has been accepted for publication by IEEE and will be presented virtually at SAMYRAD 2026 (Smart Algorithms & Models: Your Reach to Advanced Dialogues).

This work demonstrates what is possible when students have a voice in how emerging technologies enter their classrooms—and when educational partnerships provide the resources and opportunities needed for their ideas to grow.

From a student’s idea to the psychology classroom, CBA’s makerspace, Virginia MOCA, and now an international academic audience, this project powerfully shows curiosity, experimentation, collaboration, and learning that extends far beyond the classroom.