As artificial intelligence (AI) continues to evolve at an unprecedented pace, it’s becoming increasingly important for educators to stay informed about the latest developments. Whether you are beginning to explore AI or you are already integrating it into your teaching, understanding the most recent trends and tools can greatly enhance your approach to education. This post will break down essential things you need to know if you’re new to AI, tips for those already experienced, highlight some AI updates, and how to stay updated on all things AI at UW-Whitewater. 

3 Tips if You Are New to AI:

1. AI is a Tool, Not a Replacement: AI has the potential to enhance your teaching methods, not replace them. It is able to automate repetitive tasks, offer personalized learning experiences, and provide insights based on data, allowing you to focus more on student engagement and instruction. It does not replace teaching, creating, or learning.

2. Start Small and Be Patient: Begin with simple AI tools like AI-driven chatbots for answering common student questions. These can help you get comfortable with AI without feeling overwhelmed. Popular AI scholar Prof. Ethan Mollick states that becoming proficient with AI platforms like ChatGPT takes approximately 10 hours. If you find that prompts you are trying aren’t working, keep trying! And reach out to the LTC for help. 

3. Ethical Considerations are Crucial: As you explore AI, it’s essential to be aware of the ethical implications, including data privacy, bias in AI algorithms, and the impact on student learning. AI platforms are businesses, and in the end, are looking for ways to monetize their products, which includes gathering user data to train models, fine tune responses, and improve model output. Always be cautious of sharing private information.

3 Tips if You Are Experienced With AI:

1. Evaluate AI Effectiveness Regularly: Continuously assess the effectiveness of the AI tools and strategies you are using. Collect feedback from students and analyze how these tools are impacting learning outcomes. Be prepared to adjust, remove, or replace tools if they’re not meeting your goals or if better alternatives become available.

2. Balance AI and Human Interaction: While AI can greatly enhance efficiency and provide valuable insights, it’s important to maintain a balance between AI and human interaction. Ensure that AI tools complement rather than replace personal engagement, and continue be open and transparent with students about how AI is used in your course.

3. Understand Pay-to-Play Models’ Effect on Student Equity: As AI tools advance, premium features will become part of a subscription model, often times a repeated monthly fee. While some students may be readily able to cover this cost, other students may struggle to maintain access, or may even be limited by the system they are using; for example, tablets or other mobile devices versus laptops. Ensure that AI tools you are using are accessible to all students. 

3 Ways to Stay Updated on AI 

1. Attend or watch a recording of an LTC workshop: Workshops are a great way to meet other instructors with similar AI interests and stay on top of the best AI practices. The LTC developed an AI Workshop Series that is meant to meet individuals wherever they are on their AI journey; workshops are interrelated, not serial, so sign up for as many or as few as you are interested in! New for this semester, AI sessions will include a brief time for participants to ask questions and provide insights, as part of the LTC’s bid to build an AI Community of Practice. 

2. Subscribe to the LTC Blog: The LTC is committed to providing accurate, timely information that affects instructors, students, and the campus community. The blog is often the first place that new information is posted, including updates to previously held workshops. Make sure to subscribe! 

3. Utilize Campus Resources: There are an endless number of professional development resources available to instructors but the LTC curated a list of campus resources:
   1. LinkedIn Learning built an AI Learning Path that develops user’s skills for understanding and apply AI to their work. 
   2. The EDUCAUSE Showcase Series just released AI…Friend or Foe?, which focuses on a deep dive of AI policy, objectives and frameworks. 
   3. EDUCAUSE maintains and AI Community Group where instructors, instructional designers, researchers, or just those curious about AI can post questions and discuss. 

Have a different AI question or looking a one-on-one discussion? Email the LTC!