Abstract:

Artificial intelligence (AI) is the ability of machines or software to perform tasks that normally require human intelligence, such as reasoning, learning, decision-making, and creativity. AI tools have advanced rapidly in recent years and have been applied to various domains, including education. Over the past decade, there have been many AI tools created and used widely. Most recently, however, with the launch of new generative AI tools like ChatGPT, BING AI, and Bard, universities have scrambled to help faculty understand these tools, how they can use them to enhance their own teaching, and how they impact their students. While there are both skeptics and fans of generative AI, these tools can have a significant impact on university teaching in a variety of ways including creating new content, methods, and tools to enhance students’ learning experiences; analyzing students’ instructional needs and preferences; adapting instruction to support students’ individual needs; and automating some of the administrative and repetitive tasks involved in teaching.

These new generative AI tools offer university faculty great opportunities, but getting faculty engaged and using them is a new challenge for university teaching centers. Our university created layered professional development experiences and resources to help faculty understand the potential of generative AI, develop skills using generative AI tools in their teaching, and redesign their courses to embed generative AI in their course content, outcomes, and engage students with those tools in appropriate ways. This presentation will focus on how university faculty can be successfully engaged with generative AI tools and how to guide them to using them in their courses.

Keywords:

Artificial intelligence, instructional technology, higher education.