Navigating Concerns about Student Use of Generative Artificial Intelligence
Mark Verbitsky
Description
Whether we like it or not, Generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI) is now a readily available tool that our students can use. How will GenAI positively or negatively disrupt higher education? I don’t know, but we should be thinking about how GenAI use will impact our courses. In this video presentation I share how I have been experimenting with GenAI tools in my class assessments. In particular, I explain how I try to encourage critical thinking about AI and course material by getting students (individually or in groups) to assess GenAI responses to course questions. I also share some results from an end-of-term assignment in which students used GenAI tools to analyze a course reading: students provided their prompts (including iterations), an analysis of the output (what did it do well, where is it lacking), and responded to questions about their views on GenAI tools. I hope that the examples I share will help other instructors think of how they might use (or avoid using) GenAI in their own courses.
Link to the video [video.ucdavis.edu]
Access the presentation slides (PDF)
Access Dr. Verbitsky's AI policy (PDF)
Access a sample output of an essay analysis (PDF)
♦ Dr. Verbitsky will be participating in a live panel session on September 12th at 12:00 pm to briefly discuss her talk and answer questions from SITT attendees. To submit a question for Dr. Verbitsky, use the SITT 2024 Panel Questions Google Form.
About the Presenter
Mark Verbitsky, PhD, is an associate professor of teaching in the Political Science department at UC Davis, teaching classes on constitutional law and American political theory. Among his pedagogical interests are teaching students learning skills, including undergraduates as part of the teaching team (learning assistants), and integrating non-knowledge based learning outcomes into his courses.
