Everywhere you look these days, you see (and hear) conversations about artificial intelligence (AI). These conversations are common in business and science, but are only just beginning to take root among most university faculty. Many faculty members from various academic disciplines are stepping into the AI field from a teaching and research perspective.
In contrast, students are already starting to use AI, figuring out all the ways AI can be used to make their lives easier, and using AI in the classroom. According to his 2023 survey by BestColleges, 54% of college students have used AI in an assignment.
Some teachers using AI are using it for classroom assignments, while others are using it for grading but are not relying entirely on it. He also uses AI to help organize research ideas. I spoke with several faculty members who are implementing AI to learn more about their approaches.
Angela Seaworth, an assistant professor of education at Texas A&M University in College Station, Texas, is experimenting with the use of AI in the classroom. Seaworth teaches her courses on fundraising. She said: “I used it in an assignment for my students to experiment with.” She asks her students to use AI to write their own donor letters and donor thank-you notes. She then asks them to compare letters and notes. According to Seaworth, “Students enjoy the exercises and tend to choose their own writing.” Given the personal nature of fundraising, she said, “Students enjoy the exercises and tend to choose what they write themselves.” It may take time for AI to imitate it.
Brittany Myburgh, an assistant professor of art history at historic Black Jackson State University in Jackson, Mississippi, is using AI to foster creativity among students on campus. She explained: “At Jackson State University, we are investing heavily in implementing fair and ethical AI because we are uniquely positioned to understand not only the incredible benefits of generative AI, but also the challenges of algorithmic bias. As part of the university's 'Leadership and Legacy' series, Myburgh and colleagues recently trained an AI chatbot to encourage students to think creatively about their careers and education. did.
Myburgh said: “These chatbots are trained on a knowledge base of degree maps and general education pathway options to help students make decisions about their education. “It reflects our commitment to student success,” she said, adding that for Jackson State University, the use of AI is ethically integrated and used to prepare students for the complexities of the future job market. He emphasized how important it is to
Sheila Tabanri, an assistant professor at Rutgers University, teaches a nontraditional mathematics course based on research in cognitive science and social-emotional learning.1 In this course, she will “guide students to learn mathematics and how they think about learning mathematics.” Tabanri believes AI can be used in interesting ways in his courses. In response to a LinkedIn post by systems thinker Ben Meer about her ideas for learning with AI, Tabanli said: A great way to incorporate and encourage the use of AI for low-risk, personalized pathway assessment. ”
In a Linked In post, Meer suggested “applying the 80/20 principle for effective learning.” He suggested prompts such as: “Based on the 80/20 principle, what is 20% of a concept?” [insert subject or field] Can you understand 80% of it? Please briefly explain the concept. ” Why you're seeing this prompt: The 80/20 rule (also known as the Pareto principle) suggests that 80% of learning outcomes or understanding come from studying just 20% of the available material . By targeting the most important information, you can achieve a significant level of understanding with less effort. ” Using this prompt, Tabanri students can create a directed reading list on a topic of their choice.
As AI becomes more popular among students, teachers are worried about what will happen to the learning process. Mark Watkins, an academic innovation fellow at the University of Mississippi, believes students will not use AI to complete assignments, but rather “to enhance the writing process rather than replace it.” I am.
Some teachers have no interest in using AI in the classroom or in general. This is a natural reaction from the perspective of Homan Harouni, who lectures on education at Harvard University. He said: “Technology causes shocks, shocks so great that we cannot even comprehend them.” Haruni said teachers should stop pretending that AI doesn't exist and start using it with students. He suggests teaching students how to ask questions of AI and using it to develop their imagination.
Ross Akins, an adjunct associate professor at the University of Pennsylvania, said, “Instructors who see these technologies as online negativity or simply a means of plagiarism may have a bigger problem with what students are doing with AI today.'' You're missing the point: While there are arguments about limiting the potential of these tools, it's important to educate students about what responsible use is. I think everyone agrees.'' Aikins and his colleagues interviewed students about how they use AI and the applications they implement. Few teachers discussed AI, and even fewer had policies regarding its use in class, students said.
As the AI landscape rapidly evolves, those studying AI need to ensure that faculty are prepared to harness its creative and transformative potential while protecting academic integrity. I agree.