Adobe Digital Learning Institute inspires creativity, collaboration, and new possibilities for teaching
Twenty faculty and staff members from across the University of Arizona spent the first weeks of summer exploring new ways to create, communicate, and engage students through the fifth annual Adobe Digital Learning Institute (ADLI). Hosted by the University Center for Assessment, Teaching, and Technology (UCATT), the two-week institute provides participants with hands-on experience using Adobe Creative Cloud applications while exploring how digital creativity can support teaching, learning, communication, and student success.
Throughout the institute, participants engaged in workshops, collaborative projects, independent exploration, and peer feedback sessions designed to help them develop practical skills and apply them to real instructional challenges. This year’s program introduced participants to tools including Adobe Express, Firefly, Photoshop, Premiere Pro, Adobe Podcast, Lightroom, Illustrator, and Figma.
This year’s cohort represented a broad cross-section of the university, bringing together faculty and staff from the College of Agriculture, Life and Environmental Sciences, Eller College of Management, College of Fine Arts, College of Humanities, W. A. Franke Honors College, Office of General Education, Academic Affairs, College of Information Science, College of Social and Behavioral Sciences, School of Global Studies, College of Medicine, and College of Science.
Learning through creation
ADLI emphasizes experiential learning and was created to help instructors integrate creativity and digital communication into teaching, equipping students with the skills increasingly expected in academic and professional contexts. Rather than simply learning software features, participants use Adobe tools to design projects, solve problems, develop creative communication strategies, and explore new approaches to teaching and student engagement.
For many participants, Adobe Express emerged as a favorite because of its accessibility and versatility. Others saw opportunities to use Express as a student-friendly platform for portfolios, websites, presentations, and multimedia projects. “I like the idea of Express and being able to have students actually create something that looks good and also communicates a really powerful message,” said Sarah Grace, assistant professor of psychology.
Participants also explored Adobe Podcast and Premiere Pro for multimedia assignments and course content, Firefly for creative ideation and AI literacy, Photoshop and Illustrator for visual communication, and Figma for app and website prototyping. Several participants described how the tools expanded their thinking about what student work could look like beyond traditional papers and presentations.
Reimagining student engagement
Across disciplines, participants consistently connected the institute’s creative tools to their teaching goals. Faculty members described how Adobe applications could help make online courses more interactive, encourage active learning, and provide students with new ways to demonstrate learning.
Jessica Hill, assistant professor of practice, explained that the institute helped her consider making asynchronous courses “more playful, more joyful” and explore opportunities to integrate creative projects into the learning experience.
Caleb Yuan, a doctoral student in educational psychology, noted that the tools offered new possibilities for empowering students to create meaningful work. “Teaching is always about empowerment,” he said. “I want the knowledge to be meaningful for students.”
Javier Nido, instructor in the College of Humanities, noted that the experience helped restore his creative energy after a challenging academic year. “This program helped motivate me,” he said. “It motivated me to start creating new material and new things for our students.”
Participants also praised the institute’s structured learning experience, collaborative environment, and extensive resources, noting that the combination of workshops, project work, recorded tutorials, and peer support helped make complex tools approachable and accessible.
Looking ahead
As ADLI concludes its fifth year, participants leave with new technical skills, project ideas, and strategies for incorporating creativity into their courses and programs.
For many participants, the experience was not simply about learning software; it was about rediscovering the joy of creating, connecting with colleagues across disciplines, and finding new ways to help students learn, communicate, and succeed.
