You know, there’s this crazy thing happening, man. Generative artificial intelligence (AI) tools like ChatGPT, they’re on the rise and they have the potential to blow our minds and transform the whole freakin’ world, man.
I mean, seriously, these tools are insane! They can do all sorts of mind-blowing stuff. They can write stories and essays, break down quantum physics in simple terms, create music from scratch, code new computer programs, and even make crazy cool images. And get this, they pull all their information from the entire internet, man. It’s like they have the entire knowledge of the world at their virtual fingertips.
So you can imagine, when these tools burst onto the scene last fall, all the professors and teachers out there started freaking out, questioning the originality of their students’ work. But instead of panicking or forcing students to go back to old-school methods, the University of Miami leaders are like, “Hey, let’s embrace this AI revolution, man. Let’s use these generative AI tools to fully prepare our students for the future.”
I gotta give props to Kathi Kern, the University’s vice provost for educational innovation, man. She’s all like, “This is a big deal, guys. We need to dive into this new technology, talk about it with our students, understand its strengths and weaknesses, otherwise we’re just fooling ourselves.” And she’s right, man. We’re in this sandbox moment, and we gotta be part of the conversation. This AI stuff could totally change everything we know about work, culture, and education, man.
Teachers all across the University are already experimenting with this AI madness, man. Computer science instructors are challenging their students to create code using generative AI. They write code and then they discuss in class whether it’s accurate, optimized, and if it can be improved. Marketing courses are even testing the power of AI tools to come up with killer campaign and product pitches. And check this out, the music faculty are using AI to analyze, compose, and deconstruct music. It’s wild, man!
But hold up, there’s something you gotta know. These tools aren’t foolproof, man. Sometimes they give you inaccurate results, and they can’t even tell fact from fiction. And let’s not forget, those free tools like ChatGPT, they’re collecting all your personal data, dude. That’s why the University encourages the use of software like Adobe Firefly and Bing Chat Enterprise, ’cause they respect your privacy and don’t collect your info.
Yeah, there are risks, man. But there are also plenty of ways we can use these AI tools safely. And I’m excited to see what other faculty members come up with, man. Like this one teacher, Kathi Kern, asked her students to use AI tools when they missed a quiz. She had them respond to a written prompt using the AI, and then she had them critique the response like they were teaching assistants. That’s some next-level thinking, man.
You know what else is exciting? Students can use image generating tools to create illustrations, man. They can bring abstract topics to life with the power of AI. It’s like magic, dude. This technology allows us to rethink how we assess student learning, make it more authentic and less just about getting the task done. We gotta teach those critical thinking skills, content knowledge, and analysis abilities, man. So students can evaluate the AI output for themselves.
Of course, with all this new AI stuff, we gotta have some guidelines, man. Can’t just let chaos reign, you know? The University advises against putting personal student or patient info into these AI tools. And they’re telling teachers not to use AI detection tools for assessments like papers and tests, since they can be super error-prone, especially for non-English speakers. Keep it fair, man.
But listen up, there’s more. The University is offering resources and opportunities for students and faculty to dive deeper into this AI madness. They got this Navigating AI thing from the Division of Continuing and International Education. You can learn all about AI tools and the safest ways to use them for teaching and learning. And there’s a monthly working group called the AI Teaching Exchange, where you can join in on the campus conversation about these AI tools, man.
- And check this out, on Friday, Nov. 3, there’s this Faculty Showcase happening at the Lakeside Expo Center. They got Betsy Barre, this keynote speaker from Wake Forest University, talking about “AI and the future of Learning: Key Questions for the Academy.” And in the afternoon, there’s gonna be a panel of faculty members discussing “Teaching in the age of AI.” Sounds like a mind-blowing event, man. Gotta get in on that.
And here’s a bonus, man. PETAL, the Platform for Excellence in Teaching and Learning, brought in this dude named Bill Hart Davidson from Michigan State University to speak about AI. Lucky for you, they recorded his lecture and you can watch it online. It’s called “When Robots Learn to Write, What Happens to Learning?” Gotta appreciate all these opportunities to learn more about AI, man.
