Teaching@Wayne: AI and our courses

Image by Gerd Altmann licensed by Pixabay

AI technology is rapidly evolving and becoming more widespread. Employers increasingly expect AI literacy in new hires, yet many recent graduates feel unprepared, wishing they’d been taught AI in college. Although educators are growing more comfortable using AI, students often remain confused about when and how to use these tools appropriately.

While these technologies offer great potential, they also bring challenges. Detecting AI-generated content is difficult, and these tools can produce biased or hallucinated information. The goal is to embrace AI as both a challenge and an opportunity, exploring its potential while remaining mindful of its limitations. In this edition of Teaching@Wayne, we’ll discuss AI and explore practical ways to integrate it into your course.

Building AI literacy: Understanding AI

AI, or Artificial Intelligence, encompasses a wide range of technologies that seek to mimic human-like behavior – usually tasks like data analysis, computation or pattern recognition. Canvas New Analytics, for example, is a great tool that leverages the power of AI to collect and analyze data.

Generative AI refers to technologies that generate statistically probable outputs (text, images, etc.) when prompted. Tools like ChatGPT, Copilot, Dall-E and others are examples of the most recent advancements in this technology. Because of the immense potential and the privacy concerns of these tools, Wayne State is building and launching its own – WarriorGPT.

WarriorGPT: A secure, in-house AI for Wayne State

Wayne State is launching WarriorGPT, an in-house generative AI designed to support faculty and students. This tool is currently being piloted by a group of faculty. By winter 2025, the goal is for all faculty to be able to opt-in via Canvas, giving both students and instructors direct access.

WarriorGPT prioritizes security, privacy and institutional control. It does not save any data, which makes it a safe tool for an academic setting, ensuring that no student work, faculty grades or sensitive data is stored or shared.

Use cases: How faculty and students are piloting WarriorGPT

Early adopters of WarriorGPT at Wayne State have started to uncover its potential in a variety of classroom settings:

• Resource for research and writing: Several faculty members highlight WarriorGPT as an additional resource for guiding students through the research process – from exploring their problem to narrowing their focus.
• Supporting study strategies and conceptual understanding: WarriorGPT is also being used to assist students in developing study templates and conceptual maps, offering a method for organizing information that students can customize.
• Facilitating classroom discussions: WarriorGPT is serving as a discussion tool, allowing students to compare AI-generated responses with either their own or what they learn in lecture.
• Setting clear expectations and responsible use: Faculty emphasize the importance of setting clear expectations. They caution students about its limitations and encourage thoughtful interaction. One faculty member even uses the tools alongside her students, so they can explore its potential together.

Understanding AI’s role: Setting expectations

Here are some guidelines suggested by WSU faculty and administrators for using these tools:

• AI is generative and not infallible: These tools generate content based on patterns and probability, not facts. Students should never rely on them as a source of information. Encourage critical thinking and remind students to verify AI outputs by cross-referencing academic databases like JSTOR or others through our library system.
• Critical thinking over copy-pasting: Craft assignments that encourage students to engage deeply with AI generated content. For instance, Curtis Kratt, senior director, Service Management and part-time faculty, Mike Ilitch School of Business, notes that asking students to build upon AI-generated responses or posing questions like, “Based on last week’s chapter, how would you approach this differently?” can curtail purely AI-generated answers.
• Prompt design: Generative AI responds best to well-designed prompts. Train students how to frame questions or requests in ways that yield the most helpful responses. The OTL is hosting a hybrid workshop on Prompt Design on Oct. 15 and 16. See more info below.
• Embrace the learning curve: We’re all new to generative AI. Normalize the learning process and encourage experimentation without fear (while remaining cautious about sharing personal information and being aware of the data policies). Trying out these technologies is the best way to understand their power and limitations.

Note: This article came about through conversations with Curtis and the many faculty who provided their experiences with WarriorGPT. ChatGPT was used to help brainstorm, organize and synthesize ideas (upon reflection, the author wishes he used WarriorGPT! [he will next time]).

Resources

If you have any questions or would like to learn more, feel free to reach out to OTL@wayne.edu or schedule a consultation.

Additional resources:

• AI Pedagogy Teaching Circle
• Faculty Teaching Highlight - Learning About AI and its Practical Uses with Richard Pineau
• Artificial Intelligence in Teaching and Learning Virtual Resource Hub page (self-enroll link)
• Register for the Midsemester Assessment Program (MAP)
  • During a MAP, you are partnered with an OTL consultant who creates a confidential online survey you share with your students to obtain anonymous feedback. The consultant reviews and organizes the responses prior to your MAP debrief in which you discuss the results together. A MAP can have a big impact on your students’ learning, but also helps you plan the rest of the semester with the needs of your current students in mind.
• *NEW* Artificial Intelligence (AI) in Teaching and Learning Workshop Series
  • AI: Prompts that Get Results
    • 3 - 4 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 15 (hybrid: Zoom and in person)
    • 10 - 11 a.m. Wednesday, Oct. 16 (hybrid: Zoom and in person)
    • As artificial intelligence continues to transform teaching and learning, savvy instructors know that crafting effective prompts is key to getting the most out of these powerful tools. In this interactive workshop, we'll explore the art of writing prompts that bring out the best in students and yield accurate, relevant, and engaging results.
  • AI: Reimagining Your Class Activities
    • 3 - 4 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 30 (hybrid: Zoom and in person)
    • 10 - 11 a.m. Friday, Nov. 1 (hybrid: Zoom and in person)
    • Join us for a dynamic workshop where expert faculty will share innovative strategies for integrating AI-driven tools into evidence-based teaching practices. Discover how to spark critical thinking, foster problem-solving, and cultivate collaborative learning with the power of artificial intelligence.