The cyclical pattern of technological transformation in higher education is an enduring phenomenon. Faculty have consistently needed to adapt to new instructional paradigms in response to the fluid digital terrain. With each new generation of technology, it becomes imperative to engage in scholarly discourse concerning its pedagogical merits and the attendant implications for the teaching-learning paradigm. Current Artificial Intelligence (AI) advancements demand such an investigation.
Artificial Intelligence (AI) has permeated many facets of contemporary daily life. It is embedded in technology we use every day such as mobile phones, computer operating systems, navigation systems for vehicles, and virtual assistants. In short, such quotidian applications underscore the pervasive influence of AI-assisted technology in even our most basic daily interactions.
The most recent AI advancements, exemplified by the introduction of AI-driven chatbots (Generative pre-trained transformers) like ChatGPT and Google Gemini, prompt diverse reactions from educators. Consequently, a proliferation of resources has emerged, effectively addressing this new technological dimension. While some educators demonstrate enthusiasm for harnessing AI’s potential, others have reservations regarding its benefits due to the possibility of academic integrity issues. Significant concerns about AI include its ability to emulate student-generated coursework in response to writing prompts, undertake specific information analyses (e.g., synthesis), and fabricate scholarly research reviews. This availability of AI-powered chat applications means faculty need to actively work to facilitate student learning while upholding the principles of academic integrity within an environment increasingly shaped by these technologies.
While academic inquiry into AI’s intersection with pedagogy remains an evolving effort, existing evidence-based pedagogical frameworks offer guidance for pedagogical decisions. This encompasses a spectrum of responses to AI technologies from the embrace of AI to a cautious integration or judicious limitation with an understanding of their complex influences. This scholarly discourse about AI will continue and the CETL has assembled reference material to help you prepare your courses and teaching practice. We are also available to consult individually to assist you with your individual situation.
Additional resources are available below in the Tool Kit Resources, but for a deeper dive into understanding generative AI systems, such as ChatGPT and Bard, please reference the Educause article, A Generative AI Primer. This article discusses the history, construction of a generative model, common keyword definitions, and ethical concerns.
A Generative AI Primer | EDUCAUSE Review
Understanding the current state of technology requires understanding its origins. This reading list provides sources relevant to the form of generativ
Tool Kit Resources
An effective way to understand how to utilize technology such as Chat-GPT or Google Bard is to engage in experiential, hands-on exploration of the tools. The CETL has provided some guidelines to help instructors explore and effectively utilize generative AI. One of the critical components of using generative AI is effectively writing prompts. To begin this process, we must understand the key components of an effectively written prompt.
Component One: …
The following statements present two approaches for addressing artificial Intelligence in courses; both approaches have merit however, neither are required in the syllabus at this time. The included talking points are to assist the faculty member with rationale for support of their choice and are not intended for inclusion in the syllabus statements. The syllabus statement can be copied verbatim or modified to suit course requirements. The Center for Excellence …
Another critical issue relating to the use of AI in higher education (and in other fields) is that human bias has infiltrated artificial intelligence. Human biases, revealed through tests and experiments, have been well-documented and their significant impact on outcomes acknowledged. With the rise of AI implementation in various companies, it is essential to promptly recognize and address the potential infiltration of biases into AI systems to mitigate negative consequences …
In the last few months, numerous articles, posts, and editorials have documented the emergence and rising popularity of ChatGPT-3, a text-based bot that can be tasked with writing essays and answering homework questions. This development is the latest in a number of discussions about the rapid advancement of AI. While scholars and pundits lament the fall of collegiate writing assignments as we know them, others seek innovative modes of using …
Writing a final research essay has served as a recurrent mode of summative assessment in many liberal arts courses, particularly in English classes. Many composition and literature courses feature essay assignments that aim to demonstrate students’ mastery of course outcomes such as prewriting, revising, and incorporating research by producing an essay. With the growing popularity and proliferation of AI technologies, it is not surprising that growing numbers of instructors have …