Spotlight
Good morning all,
In this unusually late AI-focused newsletter, we share articles highlighting new institutional innovations in the face of GenAI: including compulsory AI modules, new AI-specific degrees, and the enrollment of ‘student bots’ in courses. Additionally, a couple of articles encourage readers to adopt a more cautious approach to GenAI, praising institutions that ‘slow-walk’ and resist GenAI FOMO. A perfect collection of quick reads for a lovely Sunday, with a warm coffee in hand!
Also, ICYMI – HESA recently launched its AI Advisory Services. If your institution is struggling to develop its response to this new technology, or is simply in search of an extra hand, we might be able to help. Reach out to our team to discuss ways in which we could support your efforts.
Next Roundtable Meeting
Date: Tuesday, March 19th, 2024
Time: 12h00-1h00PM ET
oin us Tuesday, March 19th, from 12:00PM to 1:00PM ET, for our next AI Roundtable, which will focus on Governance and Policy. We will have the pleasure of welcoming the following panelists: Mark Daley, Chief AI Officer at Western University; Trish McLaren, Associate Vice-President Academic at Wilfrid Laurier University; and Shailoo Bedi, Executive Director of Learning and Teaching Support and Innovation at the University of Victoria. They will discuss their institution’s respective approach to building the institutional response to GenAI, whether it is to create a dedicated role to do so, or to create specific task forces or working groups. They will be asked about their institution’s respective journeys, and any specific opportunities or barriers to their approach. This session will be facilitated by Simon Bates, Vice-Provost and Associate Vice-President, Teaching and Learning, at the University of British-Columbia. Register now (it’s free!) to save your spot!
If you missed last month’s AI Roundtable on Research integrity, you can watch the recording here.
Are you a faculty member or an instructional designer who has been using GenAI tools in teaching and learning in innovative and practical ways? We invite you to present during our “community poster” session on Pedagogy and Curriculum roundtable, on April 23rd. Mention your interest here.
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News & Research
Liu, J. Times Higher Education. March 6th, 2024
Nanjing University, in China, recently announced its plan for a compulsory artificial intelligence general core module for students in all departments. Starting next September, all undergraduate students will have to take an AI module as a compulsory part of their degree.
Young, J. EdSurge. March 7th, 2024
Ferris State University recently announced that it would enroll two chatbot ‘students’ in its classes to test their curricula. “In other words, rather than just watching how students click, generative AI tools like ChatGPT make it possible for educators to create simulations of students that embody different profiles — say, a first-generation student or a student struggling in a certain subject — and see what happens when they encounter material in college courses.” By doing so, they are hoping to learn how to improve the student experience.
Mollick, E. One Useful Thing. February 17th, 2023
This semester, professor Ethan Mollick fully embraced AI in his classes, requiring his students to use AI tools in various ways. In this blog post, he shares some early lessons from this experiment, including the following: 1) Without training, everyone uses AI wrong; 2) Students understand accuracy and bias issues; and 3) AI is everywhere already. He then concludes that “focusing on how people use AI in class rather than whether they use it will result in better learning outcomes, happier students, and graduates who are better prepared for a world while AI is likely to be ubiquitous”.
Winokur Munk, C. CNBC. March 2nd, 2024
With AI gaining more and more traction and with employers increasingly putting a lot of value into hiring AI-literate employees, colleges and universities are responding by creating four-year AI-specific degrees. “These programs generally move beyond the foundations of computer science to home in on topics such as machine learning, computing algorithms, data analytics and advanced robotics”. However, some are skeptic about the long-term relevance of an AI-specific degree, in a world where AI technology continues to drastically evolve every day. This article provides elements to consider for any potential student considering an AI-specific degree.
Swaak, T. The Chronicle of Higher Education. February 26th, 2024
This article offers a well-rounded overview of the state of GenAI in higher education, and the mixed institutional responses to it. “Higher ed is known for being deliberative, building slow consensus, and operating in silos. And that culture, with some exceptions, has characterized the sector’s handling of GenAI.” “There’s no question: Higher education has a tough job ahead. Sure, GenAI may not wholly upend higher education as we know it. But it will challenge it, and push colleges, on some level, to rethink what they value and how they can best serve their students. Waiting for this moment to pass is not an option.”
Lang, J. The Chronicle of Higher Education. February 29th, 2024
In this article, the author, a professor of practice at the University of Notre Dame, shares four principles to guide instructors that are trying to think about the role of ChatGPT in their teaching. The first one, variety, refers to the fact that people learn differently; hence, instructors should provide a variety of pathways to engage with the material. The second, transparency, relates to being more transparent with students about why more ‘traditional’ techniques are still relevant. The third one, sequencing, is meant to remind instructors of the importance to apply intentionality to the order in which they are introducing GenAI tools in their courses. Finally, reflection aims at encouraging an alternance of practice and reflection, to enable for better processing and improvement.
Crawford, G. and Seidl, D. The evoLLLution. March 6th, 2024
In this article, Gregory Crawford and David Seidl, respectively President and Vice President of Information Technology and CIO at Miami University, share their perspectives on GenAI in higher education. “While there is much fear and concern around AI use in higher education, it remains technology of growing importance that institutions must embrace rather than ignore.” “People are reflexively skeptical of fast-moving change, and AI embodies fast-moving change, not only in the cascade of new products but also in its range of capabilities. We’ve all seen technology cycles compressing, while our ability to learn, adapt and understand technology struggles to keep up. Leaders must acknowledge that adoption, acceptance and access to AI will be uneven and address that reality effectively.”
Lu, M. Times Higher Education. March 3rd, 2024
In this article, Max Lu, President and Vice-Chancellor of the University of Surrey, talks about potential efficiency gains that could result from fully embracing GenAI, not only in areas like pedagogy and skills development, but also in student recruitment, institutional management, and decision-making processes. However, “universities that incorporate AI into their education need good governance and appropriate risk control strategies around its use”.
Ardeljan, J. M. Inside Higher Ed. February 26th, 2024
In this article, the author, Director of career, professional and community development at the Graduate School of the University of New Hampshire, argues that ChatGPT should not be used by graduate students and postdocs in their first draft of writing projects. They fear using GenAI tools to write first drafts would rob students of the opportunity to go through the creative process of writing, and produce something authentic and written in their own voice. “I see the question of whether or not to use ChatGPT as a triple-A issue – one of authorship, authenticity and audience”. “When it comes to an AI-generated first draft, it will be hard for a novice and insecure writer to significantly rewrite and make it their own, consequently robbing them of an opportunity to work on their writing skill development”.
Warner, J. Inside Higher Ed. March 6th, 2024
In this article, the author invites institutions to be cautious of embracing GenAI too quickly by fear of missing out. “We actually have no idea what this technology means at this time.” “I get that seeing what GenAI seems to be capable of and hearing projections about a future of a godlike superintelligence on a (depending on who is talking) five- to 20-year timeline is pretty freaky and feels like we should be doing something about it, but no, right now, what most of us should be doing about it is learning as much as we can, educating ourselves on what this technology can actually do and exploring its potential.”
More Information
Want more? Consult HESA’s Observatory on AI Policies in Canadian Post-Secondary Education.
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