Teaching Innovation, Innovating Teaching: Integrating Concept Mapping and GenAI

Management educators face the urgent task of moving students beyond passive consumption to strategic, critical use of generative artificial intelligence (GenAI). The goal of this article is to provide a structured framework that transforms GenAI into a tool for cognitive partnership. We present a complete guide for a semester-long, multi-session assignment, designed for undergraduate management education. The assignment’s purpose is to deepen conceptual understanding through experiential learning that combines concept mapping with the critical, comparative use of multiple GenAI tools. Students research a company, build iterative visual knowledge structures, use artificial intelligence (AI) to challenge assumptions, and engage in reflective critical thinking. The teaching focus is on fostering AI literacy and strategic reasoning. This assignment provides instructors with a pedagogically sound method to leverage emerging technologies for active, deep learning in business courses.