Benefits for Teaching and Learning

Woman typing on laptop

While it may seem intimidating or challenge the spirit of academia, generative AI (GenAI) presents many opportunities to support and enhance teaching and learning.

GenAI can improve efficiency in, and even support offloading of routine cognitive, instructional and administrative tasks, which allow faculty to dedicate greater focus on teaching, student support and increase resource availability to enhance authentic, durable and transferable learning.

In this section

Ways to consider using Generative AI

Create practice test questions, with answers or feedback based on content you upload

Suggested prompt

Write [# of questions] [question type(s)] test questions based on the following content: [insert content here]. Put an * before the correct answer.

Icon of a robot

Example

Write 10 multiple-choice, open-ended, and true or false test questions based on the following content: Universal Design for Learning (UDL) is a set of curriculum design and delivery principles aimed at creating an inclusive and accessible learning experience for students. Universal design is achieved through the development of flexible curricular materials and activities. It is considered a "best practice" approach to curriculum design and is easily achieved through the use of various active learning and curriculum design and delivery strategies. Put an * before the correct answer.

View Example in ChatGPT

Tip

If the prompt is revised slightly, faculty can upload the output questions to the Algonquin College’s D2L Quiz generator and it will generate a CSV file to upload to the DC Connect course.

Develop the foundation of a rubric for an assessment or formative peer feedback

Suggested prompt

Write a 4-level rubric on [topic] for [assignment here] for a college level course. Criterion are [insert criterion here].

Icon of a robot

Example

Write a 4-level rubric on Curriculum Development for a Lesson Plan assignment for a college level course. Criterion are structure of lesson plan, blooms taxonomy alignment, science of learning principles, and spelling/grammar.

View Example in ChatGPT

Generate a lesson plan for a defined topic, for a specified period of time, and/or based on a course learning outcome

Suggested prompt

Write a [time in hours] lesson plan for [course name] course on [topic], include practice activities.

Icon of a robot

Example: for a defined topic

Write a three-hour lesson plan for Curriculum Development course based on Bloom’s Taxonomy.

View Example in ChatGPT

Icon of a robot

Example: based on a course learning outcome

Write a three-hour lesson plan for Curriculum Development course based on the learning outcome “Write a course outline detailing course description, learning outcomes, topics, resources and evaluation strategies”, include practice activities.

View Example in ChatGPT

Brainstorm activity or assessment ideas to support Universal Design for Learning through multiple means of representation and expression

Suggested prompt

Brainstorm ideas for assignment topics for an assignment on [topic].

Icon of a robot

Example

Brainstorm ideas for assignment topics for an assignment on Creating Course Learning Objectives.

View Example in ChatGPT

Create course, module or weekly learning outcomes

Suggested prompt

Write a learning outcome for a College course on [course name].

Icon of a robot

Example

Write a learning outcome for a College course on Using AI in higher education.

View Example in ChatGPT

Other ideas may include:

  • Locating examples to support strategies such as elaboration and providing concrete examples.
  • Communicating complex ideas or concepts in English and having GenAI translate to the native language of a student, or vice versa.
  • Personalizing course content to meet the needs and interest of the student cohort.
  • Summarizing scholarly articles and related research tasks.
  • Generating weekly announcements
  • Generating incorrect instructional or assessment materials to support student application of learning such as editing.
    Suggested prompt: Generate a 1000-word paragraph about [topic] with 10 grammatical errors and 15 spelling errors.
  • OpenAI’s documentation suggests use cases such as debugging code, revising writing, or asking for additional explanation:
    Suggested prompt: Review this writing submission for grammar or spellings errors.

Important

To model appropriate use of GenAI, faculty are expected to adhere to the same principles of proper attribution, citation and academic integrity as expected of students.

Developing Generative AI Literacy

Integrating GenAI into teaching and learning supports the development of artificial intelligence literacy in students. AI literacy is defined as the ability to understand, use, monitor, and critically reflect on AI applications without necessarily being able to develop AI models themselves (Laupichler et al., 2022). There are 4 stages of development:

1. Awareness of Tools

Student can identify the tools and their potential uses.

2. Understanding Functionality

Student understands how Natural Language Processing works and is used in generative text-based AI.​ Student comprehends how algorithms work to make decisions about data.

3. Creating and Evaluating Output

Student develops prompt construction skills to impact output. Student can identify the impact of the training data on output, such as algorithmic bias. ​

4. Influencing and Resisting Output 

Student challenges bias in output through changing tools or strategies of use.

How else could Generative AI benefit teaching and learning?

Add your thoughts to the following Padlet

Made with Padlet