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Understanding & Using AI

A brief introduction to generative artificial intelligence covering how it works, types of tools, and tips for responsible AI-use.

Introduction

This page is specifically geared toward instructors; it collects resources to help you craft AI policies, discuss AI use with your students, and find further readings if you want to dive deeper. 

Crafting AI policies

Educators across disciplines are grappling with how to negotiate and set boundaries on AI-use in their classrooms. As you consider what policies, guidelines, and restrictions feel authentic and meaningful for your course context, you may find it helpful to browse language from other instructors for inspiration. Professors across institutions have submitted their syllabus policies to a publicly available Google Doc (linked below) to serve as inspiration and guidance for others. 

Discussion prompts: Talking about AI in the classroom

Having frank and open conversations with students about AI can be helpful in building consensus in your class community. Below, you'll find some prompts to help you begin engaging students in these conversations in your own classroom.

  1. What does responsible AI-use mean to you? 
  2. What skills does a person need to be able to use AI ethically and effectively? How would you define AI-literacy?
  3. How (if at all) do you think AI should be incorporated into your college curriculum?
  4. Have you used AI tools to help you learn or master new content? Share how you've leveraged these tools to help you learn.
  5. In what ways do you see AI becoming relevant for your chosen career path or area of interest? How has this changed your perception of what skills you need to develop in order to succeed in your chosen career?
  6. In your own use of AI tools what capacities and limitations have you noticed? What have you found that AI tools do really well and what shortcomings have you discovered?
  7. What troubles you about AI? Do you have any concerns you've been grappling with? Jumping off points for discussion could include data privacy, algorithmic bias, labor, the digital divide, etc. 

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.