Generative Artificial Intelligence (Gen AI) is probably better known by the terms “chatbots” or “chatGPT”. By inputting a question, Gen AI can create new content such as text, images, and video, based on patterns it learns from existing data. Another way of thinking about AI is “machine learning.” One study conducted a year ago by Inside Higher Ed (Coffey, 2023) found more than half of college students used AI, while more than 75 percent of faculty did not regularly use the technology. The student usage is almost surely greater now.
There are two schools of thought regarding AI in academic discussion: for and against. In practice, it’s probably a range between the two extremes. Many people, students and faculty, use Gen AI for research; the output usually comes with web-based sources that can be further mined for information. It is considered cheating, plagiarism, when that output is passed off as the student’s own work.
Many universities are discussing ways to incorporate Gen AI in ethical ways. The Chronicle for Higher Education published in 2024 a guide to grading and assessment that takes AI into consideration, with articles that discuss “ungrading” to motivate students to use AI ethically and apply critical thinking through the use of formative assignments that earn complete/incomplete evaluations. It is available for purchase at https://store.chronicle.com/products/grading-and-assessment?variant=43699714228421
There are two types of GenAI available at USF with built-in protections of user’s data, because they are authenticated with USF portal credentials. “Gemini” is the Google-based chatbot that is available via Google Apps. “CoPilot” is available through Office 365.
There is another chatbot that, with optional protection, does deliver results with robust citation references for further research and validation, Perplexity AI. A video on YouTube that demonstrates Perplexity AI shows how well a search is sourced and can be expanded upon within a thread of inquiry. The free subscription to Perplexity AI may cover plenty of needs, while a more advanced version with more in-depth searching features costs $20 a month. However; if the user has a valid educational email address the cost is $4.99 per month. An example of how Perplexity AI is used in a real-world lesson is described in “Leveraging AI to Develop and Refine Research Topics in the Counseling Field” by Emily Brinck (2024) of the University of North Dakota. About data protection, an on/off toggle enables the paid subscriber to exclude their data from being used to improve AI models. The default is “on” so the user must choose to turn it off.
Strategies for dealing with Gen AI are available in the clear from various universities including the following.
The University of North Dakota AI Assignment Library has numerous examples of lessons that incorporate GenAI in a multitude of academic disciplines.
The Artificial Intelligence Teaching Guide (Stanford University https://teachingcommons.stanford.edu/teaching-guides/artificial-intelligence-teaching-guide and the Faculty Guide to Getting Started with Gen AI which you may download. The lessons are said to be “agnostic,” not dependent on Grammarly but may be used with any Gen AI solution.
Here is a webinar based on the Faculty Guide to Getting Started with Gen AI co-hosted by Grammarly and the University of Texas at Austin on November 19, 2024.
One widely cited authority on the potential of AI in higher education is Andrew Herft, who has written “A Teacher’s Prompt Guide to ChatGPT” which provides practical guidance for writing prompts to chatbots for teaching and learning. The PDF document is provided below:
The author (Gummess) has also provided an annotated bibliography of journal articles, websites, and blog sites that capture the state of play with Gen AI in higher education. You may download it below.
Additional references:
Brinck, E. A. (2024). Leveraging AI to Develop and Refine Research Topics in the Counseling Field. AI Assignment Library, University of North Dakota. https://commons.und.edu/ai-assignment-library/58/
Coffey, L. (2023, October 13). Students Outrunning Faculty in AI Use. Inside Higher Ed. https://www.insidehighered.com/news/tech-innovation/artificial-intelligence/2023/10/31/most-students-outrunning-faculty-ai-use
Four lessons from ChatGPT: Challenges and opportunities for educators. (n.d.). Retrieved October 21, 2024, from https://www.ctl.ox.ac.uk/article/four-lessons-from-chatgpt-challenges-and-opportunities-for-educators
GPTZERO TEAM. (2023, October 7). How Teachers and Students Can Prevent AI Cheating and Save the College Essay. AI Detection Resources | GPTZero. https://gptzero.me/news/contributing-writer-how-teachers-can-save/
Marquis, J. W. (2023, December 11). Instructional Design and Delivery Director’s Blog—All I Want for Christmas Is to Know How to Deal With AI-Assisted Cheating. Gonzaga University News, Events & Stories. https://www.gonzaga.edu/news-events/stories/2023/12/11/all-i-want-for-christmas-is-to-know-how-to-deal-with-ai-assisted-cheating
Stanford Teaching Commons. (n.d.). Defining AI and chatbots | Teaching Commons. Retrieved November 13, 2024, from https://teachingcommons.stanford.edu/teaching-guides/artificial-intelligence-teaching-guide/defining-ai-and-chatbots
Taylor, D. B., Metz, C., & Miller, K. (2024, October 8). Nobel Physics Prize Awarded for Pioneering A.I. Research by 2 Scientists. The New York Times. https://www.nytimes.com/2024/10/08/science/nobel-prize-physics.html
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