Reading I NEED HELP ON MY HOMEWORK

AI (ChatGPT) and the Classroom

1. Chatbots of most interest for this class

2. How to talk to an AI (use it to: “explain,” “write” and “brainstorm”

3. The writing assignment (part 1): “Using AI in the class to improve your work “ (see Canvas “Assignments” section)

4. What is AI?

5. What do young people know about AI and how do others think it affects post graduation life?

6. How should students and teachers use it?

7. Equity issues, teacher replacement, calls into question basic assumptions about student evaluation

8. The writing assignment (part 2)

OUT LINE

Chatbots of most interest

for this class

How to talk to an AI (use it to “explain,” use it to “write, use it to “brainstorm”

The hardest lesson” for new AI chatbot users to learn is that they’re really difficult to use. Or at least, to use well.

So… how to get the most out of AI chatbots — from OpenAI’s ChatGPT to Google’s Bard and Microsoft’s Bing — and how to avoid common pitfalls.

Often, users’ first mistake is to treat them like all- knowing oracles, instead of the powerful but flawed language tools that they really are.

The writing assignment (part 1)

First, use chatGPT to: 1. “explain” something, 2. “write” something, 3. “brainstorm.” Make copies of the results of these activities and include them on the PDF you submit on CANVAS.

What is AI?

Artificial intelligence (AI) refers to the ability of a computer or machine to perform tasks that would normally require human intelligence, such as learning, problem-solving, decision- making, and more.

There are several different approaches to building AI systems, including machine learning, where a system is trained on a dataset and can improve its performance over time, and rule-based systems, where the system follows a set of predetermined rules to make decisions.

AI can be applied to a wide range of areas, including natural language processing, image and video recognition, robotics, and more.

The goal of AI research is to create systems that can perform tasks at least as well as, or ideally better than, humans.

AI has the potential to revolutionize many industries and transform the way we live and work, but it also raises important ethical and social questions.

What do young people and students know about AI and how do others think it affects post graduation life?

How should students and teachers use it?

Face the Facts

I think our focus should be guiding students to use these tools ethically and purposefully within their fields. Some AI use, when properly cited, can enhance learning by allowing students to generate ideas and content as a starting point for their own original analysis and writing.

The key is clear policies and transparency around expectations.

I think students appreciate understanding exactly what's allowed and what isn't when it comes to AI tools.

And they respond positively when we treat them as partners in upholding academic integrity, not as potential cheaters to be policed.

Using AI tools responsibly is an emerging skill.

This course (Comm 132: Electronic Media Regulation), in a small way encourages awareness of AI's capabilities and limitations.

When used appropriately as a drafting aid, AI can help develop ideas and refine work.

However, directly copying or passing off AI- generated content as one's own violates academic integrity.

To uphold quality and transparency, please follow the following guidelines.

To uphold quality and transparency, please follow the following guidelines.

First, evaluate AI-generated text critically before adopting it as your own. Fact-check claims and watch for factual errors or omissions. You are responsible for content you submit.

Second, disclose any use of generative AI tools by briefly explaining how you used them to assist your process. For instance, you might describe using a tool to help brainstorm ideas or check grammar. This promotes transparency.

Third, focus prompts on clarifying your own thinking rather than outsourcing it. High-quality prompts elicit outputs that aid your learning and original analysis. Make sure to save the prompt language that you use, and include this language in your disclosure of AI use statement.

Equity issues, teacher replacement, calls into question basic assumptions about essay writing

First…

The impact on equity. There's a lot of research that is documented the lack of access and opportunity and technology for marginalized group, based on gender race, location, income level other factors. These factors could lead to the lack of access to artificial intelligence.

Second…

Many dollars are being invested in creating algorithms that “grade” student writing. The only possible outcome is to load teachers with more students, a move that is the opposite of what we should be doing.

The goal of the adaptive software is to replace the teacher. It’s prevalence in under-resourced schools shows that this is already happening and reinforces the notion that we need not re-invest in these schools and communities because: well…software.

Calls into question what are the use of essays in the first place? What's their purpose in education? Essays are tools to understand what students understand, what they can do, how they see the world. They have been great ways for students to practice communication the skill of developing an idea, communicating clear effective way, that others can understand.

I have to come to terms with two things: First traditional essays may be influenced by AI to varying degrees from now on. Second, if I assign essays, I have to accept the risk that students may try to avoid thinking by over relying on AI assistance.

The writing assignment (part 2)

Pick out a couple of the following topics and expound upon them

Do you think chat bots like chatGPT will help you focus on what’s important? Save you time? Will it provide feedback to you before turning in your assignments? How can the professor of this class make sure my assignments develop your skills and challenge you to think, not just copy/ paste froma chatbot?

Conversation is a timeless skill. We are still going to need to talk to other humans.

You will still need to come up with opinions and support them. You'll still need to come up with questions and ask them of other people, face-to-face. How do I support that?

more paired discussions? More small group discussions? More whole class discussion? Forum discussions? How can we use these discussions to make meaning?

How about collaborative learning, working together?

How about more creative demonstrations of learning? Videos, storyboards, infographics, Instagram stories, webpage, public service announcement or billboard?

How about “brain dump” quizzes ie “what do you remember from class yeaterday, last week?

Plus, there are all of these existential questions related to artificial intelligence. What does it mean to be a person? What makes a specials human beings? What can we do that artificial intelligence can't or what are we better at?