AI Avenue: Navigating Artificial Intelligence in Teaching & Learning

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A.I. Avenue - resources & additional documents

"A.I. Avenue" provides engagement opportunities for faculty, staff, and students to consider the impacts of Artificial Intelligence on their discipline and course activities. With a focus on striking a balance between creativity and integrity, we hope to support and invigorate discussion of Ai at Normandale.

A.I. Avenue is a collaboration between Normandale's Center for Teaching & Learning (CTL), the Writing Center, and the Dean of Students Office (DOS).

Page Updates:

This is a rapidly-growing, quickly-changing topic; we will continue to add to this webpage as more information becomes available and our experience grows, particularly as more faculty develop knowledge of these tools. We welcome your input, suggestions, and questions at ctl@normandale.edu

6/27/2024 updates:

Added a link to the NEW "Faculty Resources for Generative Ai" interactive module
Added slide deck and resources from the June 5, 2024 CTL session

4/18/2024 updates:

Added a link to the April 15th 2024 CTL Hour - webinar resources
Added File Attachments titled "Ai Impact Worksheet," Minn State GenAi Guidance," "Minn State OGC Webinar"

NEW! "Faculty Resources for Generative Ai"- interactive modules

Review the basics of GenAi and its impact on education
Download worksheets, slides, etc. to help you navigate GenAi with your course materials and with your students
Access the modules here

Want to join the conversation?

Normandale employees may join the "Dev Days Continuous Learning" Team for conversation and resource-sharing
Once there, look for the "Co-existing with AI" or the "Navigating the AI Landscape" channel as shown in the screenshots below:

2023 Fall - Co-Existing with AI

Overview: We are in a new generation of Ai tools

For example:

Large Language Models use algorithms to predict text and generate human-like output. Learn more about LLM's in this video (5:33) AND Risks of Large Language Models (8:25)
ChatGPT is an AI writer that can churn out paragraphs or longer writing projects in seconds - cohesive text that often pass for human writing.
Grammarly has added "Generative AI" into its free version that assists students with word choice, idea generation, and text generation.
Tome is a slide deck creator that can create slides with images and text from a single prompt.
Link to more: Future Tools - Find The Exact AI Tool For Your Needs
"AI Prompt Engineering" is not just for programmers anymore - View this Makeuseof.com website for more info & examples.
Read on for more info and support as we continue to examine the implications of AI in teaching & learning.

Microsoft Copilot

Uses OpenAI's GPT-4
Available within Microsoft Bing's search engine
https://copilot.microsoft.com/
- Sign in with your Minnesota State Microsoft credentials

How are common AI writing tools used?

While extensive research about how students might be using AI has not been done specifically at Normandale, we do know some examples of ways that students engage with Artificial Intelligence, either on their own, or with instructor guidance.
As AI rapidly continues to evolve, it will be embedded in every online space where students find themselves.

Some common examples of readily-available AI tools, in addition to ChatGPT:

Grammarly - a free writing-assist tool that provides students with content suggestions, rephrasing suggestions, and spelling and grammar corrections.
Microsoft Copilot - a free GPT-4 (Generative Pre-trained Transformer) infused search engine

Resources for learning more

Recommended podcast series - Freakonomics Radio

The popular Freakonomics podcast has an interesting series on artificial intelligence

Full channel: https://freakonomics.com/podcast-tag/how-to-think-about-a-i/
Sept. 6, 2023 episode: https://freakonomics.com/podcast/a-i-is-changing-everything-does-that-include-you/

Includes a detailed description of language models and how they’re trained
Includes how various AI companies are dealing with bias, and imposing self-regulation known as “constitutional AI”
Includes discussion & examples of using AI for “constrained ideation,” leading to clarity of thinking

Updated resources - as of 1.12.24

State of Minnesota (MNIT) - Public Artificial Intelligence Services Security Standard
US Department of Education - Artificial Intelligence and the Future of Teaching and Learning
United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) - Guidance for generative AI in education and research
National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) - Artificial Intelligence Risk Management Framework

Free Learning Resources

Business Users (beginner)

Microsoft – AI for Beginners
Google - Introduction to Generative AI Learning Path
Codecademy – Variety of free AI courses
Khan Academy – AI for Education

FAQ's about AI Detection tools - what do you need to know?

1. Can I trust Turnitin's "AI score," or other tools that claim "AI detection?"

No.

AI tools that claim they can detect text that is "written by AI" are not reliable. Many tests have been done with a variety of AI tools, with various combinations of human-written and AI generated text, and the results are vastly inconsistent. This means that looking at a student submission's "AI" score, and assuming that it is even somewhat accurate, is not a responsible way to assess student work.

tip

If you want to know more about how a student's process may or may not have followed your course requirements, it is recommend that you reach out to the student for more information, without any direct accusations or even implications that you suspect inappropriate AI use.
Click here for more information on the non-renewal of Turnitin AI detection at normandale

2. What should I do if I encounter student work that appears to have used AI inappropriately?

It is highly recommended that you start a conversation with the student regarding their work, without direct accusations.
Refer to your syllabus policies around the use of AI tools.
Consult the Dean of Students office if you would like assistance with a student integrity issue.

Sample work generated by AI

Refer to the two documents in the "Attachments" section of this page for samples of "Prompts" for AI generated work.

Teaching with AI Apps in mind

Keep in mind that not saying anything at all about A.I. use in your class may be seen as an "invitation" for students to use it. It's easy to think, "If I mention it, they'll find out about it." It's everywhere already and will continue to be embedded into everyday workspaces.

Below are some guidelines for your consideration.

Sample Syllabus Language & Talking Points:

Refer to the documents in the "Attachments" section of this page.
Refer to this article from George Washington University

Citation and AI Use Guides:

(For student use with instructor permission only)

*Note: These guides were updated Sept 5, 2023.

MLA Guide: https://www.normandale.edu/library/ai-mla
APA Guide: https://www.normandale.edu/library/ai-apa
Chicago Guide: https://www.normandale.edu/_files/documents/library/ai-chicago.pdf

Revising Assignments / Evaluating current assignments

Refer to the documents in the "Attachments" section of this page.
Course: John Warner's "Teaching Writing in an AI World"

Classroom tips:

Engage students in the conversation – ie - moral implications, learning implications, and rules for your class.
Present a clear “student academic integrity guide” to explain your rules and guidelines for A.I. - ie – is it ok, and if it is ok, how to “declare” its use.
Start with a baseline writing assignment to familiarize yourself with each student’s writing ability & style.
Incorporate “digital scrapbooking” or other assignment scaffolding strategies as formative assessments in order to measure each student’s progress in their writing.
Consider the use of A.I. as “starter text” - demonstrate for students how this strategy can help generate ideas and writing skills.
Ask students to present their own use of A.I. and then perform critical analysis.

Academic Integrity - Expanded Language for the Student Code of Conduct

Refer to the documents in the "Attachments" section of this page.

Additional tips:

University of Calgary resources on A.I. in teaching & learning: https://taylorinstitute.ucalgary.ca/teaching-with-AI-apps
Chronicle of Higher Education: Teaching_ Rethinking Research Papers, and Other Responses to ChatGPT.pdf
Ground Rules for use of A.I. in scientific research (from nature.com): https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-023-00191-1

Deep Dive Resources

Test out a few AI tools:

Videos:

“ChatGPT, Explained: What to Know About OpenAI's Chatbot.” YouTube, Tech News Briefing Podcast | WSJ, 7 Dec. 2022, https://youtu.be/qqxdsooKggE. Accessed 14 Dec. 2022.
“OpenAI CEO Sam Altman | AI for the Next Era.” YouTube, Greylock’s Intelligent Future, 21 Sept. 2022, https://youtu.be/WHoWGNQRXb0. Accessed 14 Dec. 2022.
Demo of "Runway" video creation tool: https://youtu.be/mYjfIc9xw90

Articles:

Bliszczyk, Aleksandra. “Ai Writing Tools like CHATGPT Are the Future of Learning & No, It's Not Cheating.” VICE, 18 Jan. 2023, https://www.vice.com/en/article/xgyjm4/ai-writing-tools-like-chatgpt-are-the-future-of-learning-and-no-its-not-cheating.
What Can Higher Ed Faculty Do About Student Misuse of chatGPT and Generative AI? (linkedin.com)
Lametti, Daniel. “A.I. Could Be Great for College Essays.” Slate Magazine, Slate, 7 Dec. 2022, https://slate.com/technology/2022/12/chatgpt-college-essay-plagiarism.html.
McMurtrie, Beth. “Teaching Experts Are Worried about Chatgpt, but Not for the Reasons You Think.” The Chronicle of Higher Education, The Chronicle of Higher Education, 13 Dec. 2022, https://www.chronicle.com/article/ai-and-the-future-of-undergraduate-writing.
McMurtrie, Beth. “Will CHATGPT Change the Way You Teach?” The Chronicle of Higher Education, The Chronicle of Higher Education, 5 Jan. 2023, https://www.chronicle.com/newsletter/teaching/2023-01-05?cid=gen_sign_in&cid2=gen_login_refresh .
Mcquillan, Dan. “Danmcquillan.org.” We Come to Bury ChatGPT, Not to Praise It., 6 Feb. 2023, https://www.danmcquillan.org/chatgpt.html.

Generative AI Series* - Minnesota State Network for Educational Development (NED)

*These resources are available to Minnesota State College & University employees only.

Link to NED Teams page - includes a "Generative AI" channel with links to recordings & extra resources

Link to webinar recordings:

ChatGPT and Syllabus Considerations - 3/23/23
Generative AI and Online Discussions - 6/21/23
Generative AI and Essay Assignments - 7/18/23
Generative AI and Lab Reports - 8/8/23

Using Artificial Intelligence in Education: A Student Voice

Video Playlist

ChatGPT and the college curriculum

Future Trends forum with Bryan Alexander

How to create an AI policy

Webinar recording

AI in Education: Unleashing Creativity and Collaboration