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AI - Defined

Generative artificial intelligence (AI) models (such as ChatGPT, Midjourney, etc.) respond to natural language text inputs and are designed to generate human-like text, video, audio, and image responses. 

Challenges of using ChatGPT or other LLMs 

  • There is a mix of correct and incorrect information

  • Has limited knowledge of the world after 2020 (WHOA! Things have happened since then, right?)

  • ChatGPT does not draw on data from the open internet but instead uses a data training set consisting of information from 2021 and earlier. Therefore, it knows nothing of events post-2021 and cannot respond to prompts with real-time information like current events.  UPDATE:  As of 24 March 2023, OpenAI has began implementing plugins for ChatGPT which will "help [it] access up-to-date information, live data from the web into ChatGPT convesations run computations, or use third-party services." The access to current information is not yet a part of the ChatGPT research preview commonly used. 

  • Likelihood of biased content is high - especially for controversial topics- Developers have stated it contains a heavy Western knowledge bias.

  • Privacy concerns -- what is the company doing with the data it collects from users?

  • Beware of asking for any information that would have big consequences if it was incorrect (such as health, financial, legal advice, and so on). It has a tendency to make up answers or give a mix of correct and incorrect information, but still sound very confident.

Benefits of using ChatGPT or other LLMs 

  • Can provide simple explanations to well known, non-controversial topics

  • Can provide sample text

  • Can create a list of keywords, search terms

  • Explaining information in ways that are easy to understand

  • Helping write or debug computing code

  • Summarizing and outlining texts

Integrating AI Capabilities

Introduction

Artificial intelligence apps, such as ChatGPT, can be part of our educational toolbox just as dictionaries, calculators, and web searches are. If we think of artificial intelligence apps as another tool that students can use to ethically demonstrate their knowledge and learning, then we can emphasize learning as a process not a product.  

Six thoughts on artificial intelligence and academic integrity (Eaton, 2022): 

  1. Using artificial intelligence for school work does not automatically equate to misconduct. 
  2. Artificial intelligence can be used ethically for teaching, learning, and assessment. 
  3. Trying to ban the use of artificial intelligence in school is not only futile, it is irresponsible. 
  4. Human imagination and creativity are not threatened by artificial intelligence. 
  5. Assessments must fit for purpose and should align with learning outcomes. 
  6. Artificial intelligence is not going anywhere. We must learn to work with new technology, not against it. 

The following are considerations when thinking about artificial intelligent apps and your courses: 

Engage: 

Have open and honest conversations with your students about your expectations regarding artificial intelligence apps and their use in your courses. Start with a discussion on artificial intelligence literary and what that means in your course. 

Some guiding questions for conversations with your students may include: 

  1. What do you know about artificial intelligent apps? 
  2. Have you used them before? If you have, in what ways? 
  3. How can you ethically use artificial intelligence apps to support your learning? 

Consider: 

  1. Co-creating class guidelines with your students regarding the use of artificial intelligence apps in your courses. 
  2. Encouraging students to acknowledge when they use artificial intelligence apps and acknowledge their efforts in doing so as there are no current citation standards. 
  3. Including an artificial intelligence discussion thread to create a space to continue the conversation with your students. 

Explain: 

Think about your current assessments through the lens of artificial intelligence. Consider how the course learning outcomes align with your assessments and the potential impact of artificial intelligence apps. 

Guiding questions: 

  1. Are there small adjustments that can be made to your course design to be proactive with artificial intelligence apps? 
  2. How can artificial adjustments be included in conversations with your students or in discussions in small groups? 
  3. What type of assessments align best with your course learning outcomes? Could alternative assessments be an option? 

Consider: 

  1. Modeling how to use artificial intelligence apps ethically by creating an exemplar developed by an app for your students to critique. 
  2. Creating writing or discussion prompts that ask learners to apply a reading or video to their own lives or personal contexts that reflect current events. 
  3. Replacing short answers, essays, and reflections with alternative assessments such as mind maps, oral presentations, videos, or podcasts. 

Explore: 

Use these resources to inform and support your instructional design and artificial intelligence.  

  1. McMurtrie, B. (2023, January 5). Teaching: Will ChatGPT change the way you teach? Chronicle for Higher Education. https://www.chronicle.com/newsletter/teaching/2023-01-05?cid=gen_sign_in 
  2. Pavlik, J.V. (2023). Collaborating With ChatGPT: Considering the Implications of Generative Artificial Intelligence for Journalism and Media Education. Journalism & Mass Communication Educator, 1-10. https://doi.org/10.1177/10776958221149577 
  3. Susnjak, T. (2022). ChatGPT: The End of Online Exam Integrity? Cornell University. https://doi.org/10.48550/arxiv.2212.09292 

Reference: 
Eaton, S. (2022, December 9). Sarah’s thoughts: Artificial intelligence and academic integrity. Learning, Teaching, and Leadership. https://drsaraheaton.wordpress.com/?s=ChatGPT 

Download resource sheet

infographic of 20 ways to use ChatGPT in the classroom

Using Artificial Intelligence (AI) to help you brainstorm is a great strategy that you can implement while in the beginning stages of a research project. 

Programs that can help with brainstorming are:

We can use AI to help us narrow down, expand, or think of new viewpoints for any given research project.

Some other benefits of using AI to brainstorm include:

  • Finding a clearer starting point.
  • Understanding the limitations of AI to help you adapt your research topic.
  • Use the answers from AI to explore other related topics or different avenues for the same research topic.
  • Saving time by allowing AI to help get us started.

As educators, we must come to the understanding that Artificial Intelligence and its related software have already made its way into our classrooms. 

Instead of fighting the inevitable we could chose to embrace this new technology and through education teach our 

AI as a learning tool in education

Educators have to come to the reality that Artificial Intelligence will be a part of our academic lives and in order to move the needle of education we will need to embrace AI as a tool for learning. 
Some institutions have begun to use AI to help their students learn outside of the classroom. 
Below is a Ted Talk by the CEO of Khan Academy on the use of AI as a collaborative tool for learning 

Learn the difference between AI and Machine Learning

"Artificial intelligence (AI) is an umbrella term that refers to any technology that makes computers or machines seem “intelligent.” Machine learning is a subset of AI. It’s a method that allows computers to improve their performance on a task over time without explicitly being programmed to do so." (Inflection.AI, 2023)

As as a start. Faculty, you may wish to add a statement about AI and plagiarism to your syllabi. This example below is from Salt Lake City Community College's "Writing Across the College" department:

“Generative artificial intelligence (AI) software is a rapidly emerging tool that students may be interested in using. If doing so, SLCC students are expected to adhere to the same standards as the Code of Student Rights and Responsibilities statement on plagiarism. Presenting generative AI software content as your own is a violation of academic integrity. If you use generative AI in your work, you must indicate that you have done so.”

“Generative artificial intelligence (AI) software is a rapidly emerging tool that students may be interested in using. If doing so, SLCC students are expected to adhere to the same standards as the Code of Student Rights and Responsibilities statement on plagiarism. Presenting generative AI software content as your own is a violation of academic integrity. If you use generative AI in your work, you must indicate that you have done so.”

How Do I Cite ChatGPT and Other Generative AI Tools if I Use Them? 

Until the spring of 2023, there were no guidelines on how to cite material created by generative AI technologies like ChatGPT. Now, the American Psychological Association (APA) and the Modern Language Association (MLA) have published guidelines that direct users about how to incorporate AI based material into their scholarly work. 

Many important questions remain for researchers and students using ChatGPT. Ethics, plagiarism, copyright, and technical issues are all considerations that are being actively debated, so expect many developments to unfold as we all learn about how to incorporate these technologies into our research lives. 

APA: 

The APA has release introductory guidelines about how to cite, summarize, and paraphrase ChatGPT. Their guidance can be found here: https://apastyle.apa.org/blog/how-to-cite-chatgpt

MLA: 

The MLA has released introductory guidelines about how to use a variety of generative AI tools, including ChatGPT and image generators. These guidelines can be found here: https://style.mla.org/citing-generative-ai/