George Hanshaw
Learning | Leading | Innovating | Teaching
Transforming education and training to achieve real results
Dr. George Hanshaw is an innovative academic leader who sits at the intersection of learning science, psychological safety, and AI-enhanced education, with over 20 years of experience transforming how people learn in higher education and industry. From leading the design and accreditation of LAPU’s first competency-based MS in Instructional Design and Technology to pioneering institution-wide AI course assistants that measurably improve student outcomes, his work turns research into scalable, real-world change.
As Assistant Dean and Director of Digital Learning Solutions, George architects agile learning ecosystems that make online education more human, inclusive, and data-informed, leveraging psychological safety and evidence-based practices to help every learner thrive. A published scholar, keynote speaker, and founder of Hanshaw’s Horizon, he partners with universities and organizations to design future-ready learning, where generative AI, mastery-based design, and high-performance teaching come together to create durable, “sticky” learning experiences.
Education
Blending a Doctor of Psychology in sport and performance with advanced study in adult education and generative AI equips me to approach problems from cognitive, behavioral, and technological angles simultaneously, rather than through a single disciplinary lens. This interdisciplinary foundation helps me see patterns others miss, design human-centered AI solutions, and translate complex challenges into practical, research-informed strategies that improve real-world learning and performance.
A.S. Applied Electronics
B.S. Systems Analysis
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Designing and Building AI Products and Services
Certificate
Master of Education
Doctor of Psychology
University of Texas at Austin
Post Graduate Program in Generative AI for Business Applications
Teaching
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Teaching for me is about designing learning experiences where students feel psychologically safe enough to take risks, think critically, and connect theory to their real-world contexts. Whether in graduate instructional design, psychology, or business courses, the goal is to combine rigor with genuine care, leveraging evidence-based practices, AI tools, and authentic assessment so learners leave with durable skills, not just completed assignments.
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Leadership
Leadership, for me, begins with the culture I create; one where psychological safety, shared purpose, and honest dialogue are the norm, allowing teams to feel free to question, experiment, and learn together. This kind of environment makes it possible to move complex initiatives, like competency-based programs and AI course assistants, from idea to institution-wide practice while keeping people, data, and student outcomes at the center of every decision.
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When teams operate this way, organizations gain more than completed projects; they gain scalable models, clearer decision-making frameworks, and a steady pipeline of innovation that can be replicated across programs and departments. The result is a more adaptive institution: one that improves learner success, strengthens faculty engagement, and is better positioned to navigate the rapid changes of today's world.
Learning Design
Learning and design, for me, is where evidence-based practice and creativity meet; I build experiences that are learner-centered, outcomes-aligned, and designed to be “sticky” enough to transfer into real-world performance. That has included everything from leading the design and accreditation of a competency-based MS in Instructional Design and Technology to creating microlearning, AI-enhanced, and authentic assessment experiences that help learners actually do something new, not just pass a course.
Authoring
As an author, my work sits at the intersection of learning science, psychological safety, and AI in education, translating research into practical models that educators and institutions can actually use. My publications span peer-reviewed studies on AI course assistants and student outcomes, psychological safety in online learning, growth mindset, and microlearning, along with textbook chapters on connectedness, authentic learning, and technology-enhanced instruction for adult and non-traditional learners.