The GenAI Learning Partner: An Evolving Framework for Personalized and Reflective Artificial Intelligence Use in Occupational Therapy Education.

The integration of generative artificial intelligence (genAI) into health professions education remains limited, particularly regarding its potential to support deeper learning, ethical reasoning, and personalization. Current discourse often focuses on institutional risk or faculty productivity, with less emphasis on genAI's role in student learning. This study presents a theory-informed model for using genAI to scaffold engagement and professional growth in a graduate-level occupational therapy research methods course. Drawing from personalized learning theory and constructivist pedagogy, we implemented a structured intervention in which students developed "GenAI Learning Partners," supported by prompt templates and instructional framing that positioned genAI as augmentative-enhancing, not replacing, academic effort. The GenAI Learning Partner was piloted in Summer 2024 (n=8) and implemented in Fall 2024 (n=28 pre-survey; n=16 matched post-survey). Multi-method data from surveys, reflections, and instructor observations assessed students' confidence, genAI literacy, ethical awareness, and relevance to practice. Results showed increased confidence using genAI to explore com¬plex content and generate personalized supports. Students reported enhanced ethical understanding and a shift from skepticism to strategic use. The GenAI Learning Partner provides a replicable model for integrating genAI to support student development in health professions, contributing to scholarship on occupational science, pedagogy, digital literacy, and responsible technology use.