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Artificial Intelligence: The Future of AI in Higher Education

Resources for Artificial Intelligence in Higher Education, ChatGPT, Dall-E, and others.

Considerations for Teaching with AI

Test your assignments and adjust as needed

Consider putting your prompts into ChatGPT to view the results. If you have concerns, you might try the following:

  • Scaffold assignments: Ask for an outline, first draft, as well as final paper. Structure assignments to allow for peer review.
  • Create nuanced or authentic assessments: Incorporate current events or personal experiences. Convert a written assignment into an infographic, video presentation, podcast, or drawing.
Consider incorporating AI

AI-based tools such as Large Language Models (LLM) may be leveraged in big or small ways. Some example assignments include:

  • Allow students to use a LLM to create a draft, then ask them to deconstruct and edit the draft and turn in both versions.
  • Ask students to submit an outline and create AI generated drafts for them.
  • Encourage students to use LLM to search terms when beginning their research process.
  • Have students generate an argument on a topic using LLM, then write a counterargument.
Decrease incentives to cheat

Use teaching practices that increase motivation through high expectancy-value: 

  • Set realistic goals (Parsons et al. 1980): Make sure your students have enough time and support to thoughtfully complete their assignments.
  • Describe the relevance of the skills (Hullerman et al., 2016): Help students understand what they gain from various parts of your assignments
  • Offer options to increase choice and control (Patall et al., 2010): When applicable to your course goals, allow students to choose their topics or modes of delivery for an assignment (e.g. an essay, presentation, short video, drawing, or infographic)

From The University of Maryland's Teaching & Learning Transformation Center: Artificial Intelligence (AI) 

Decide how you want your students to engage or not engage with AI and communicate these expectations clearly and frequently. 

  • Be consistent: Make sure you are conveying the same message in writing on your syllabus and assignments as well as verbally in class.
  • Explain your reasoning: Share both what your policy is and why you have made those decisions. If you are prohibiting them, about the skills students miss out on when they rely on AI-based tools. Discuss why you might have different expectations for using AI-based tools in different assignments or in different capacities.
  • Discuss misconceptions: Directly point out any common pitfalls or misconceptions around the use of AI chatbots in your field. Discuss websites tools such as ChatGPT, QuillBot, or DALL-E directly so students know exactly how they work.

See the additional resources section further down on this page for suggested syllabus language.

From The University of Maryland's Teaching & Learning Transformation Center: Artificial Intelligence (AI) 

Turnitin software or other non-enterprise tools like Hugging Face and GPTZero are currently not effective at detecting AI text if it is modified by students. Instead, you might look for changes such as:

  • Dramatic change in tone or style
  • Code has excessive number of bugs 
  • Technically correct but surface-level writing

If your students know you are fully engaging with their work and paying attention to the assignments they turn in, they will be less likely to engage in academic dishonesty. 

From The University of Maryland's Teaching & Learning Transformation Center: Artificial Intelligence (AI) 

If you are concerned regarding student work, please refer to the Academic Integrity page of this guide. There you will find the corresponding OCC policies, manuals, and contact information for assistance.

How Can Educators Respond to AI?

More Resources