How is Artificial Intelligence (AI) affecting teaching and learning in higher education?
Artificial intelligence (AI) is significantly impacting higher education, revolutionizing various aspects of the learning experience. AI-powered tools and platforms are transforming how students access educational content, tailor their learning paths, and receive personalized feedback. Moreover, AI-driven systems can help educators generate educational content and facilitate research endeavors. While these advancements bring exciting opportunities, it’s essential to address ethical concerns, data privacy, and ensure AI complements the education process rather than replacing it entirely. Embracing AI responsibly can lead to a more accessible, efficient, and effective higher education landscape.
Artificial intelligence has introduced significant challenges to academic integrity in education. As AI becomes more accessible, educators have expressed concerns about students using it to generate answers to questions on tests and assignments. Rather than reacting in fearful ways to new advances in AI, educators can focus on potential benefits, such as providing new perspectives on a problem and generating content that can be analyzed or critiqued. Undoubtedly, instructors need to provide guidelines to students about the appropriate and inappropriate uses of AI tools. However, instructors can also model and encourage productive and positive uses of AI and help students see its value.
How to learn more:
The Center for Teaching Excellence, AI2 Center, and the Center for Instructional Technology & Training are honoring UF educators who have made significant contributions using AI in teaching and learning. These awards recognize instructors and instructional teams for adopting, implementing, creatively using, and championing AI. Find out more on the AI Awards page.
The Center for Teaching Excellence is excited to introduce Café Conversations, a new series that launched in Fall 2024. These intimate, 45-minute lunchtime sessions focus on two critical areas: AI in Small Bytes and Tips for High Enrollment Classes. Led by guest speakers actively engaged in AI research or teaching, these informal "show and tell" discussions provide valuable insights and practical strategies for integrating AI into teaching and managing large classes effectively. Limited to 15 participants per session, Café Conversations offer a truly conversational environment for faculty to share experiences and learn from peers. As part of the Passport to Great Teaching program, these sessions contribute to professional development certificates. Don't miss this opportunity to enhance your teaching toolkit and stay at the forefront of educational innovation at UF! To find out more, visit: Café Conversations | Center for Teaching Excellence (ufl.edu)
CITT Copilot and AI trainings
Created as part of the Harnessing AI Series, explore this activity for critically evaluating generative AI content. Does Your AI Generated Content Pass the FLUF Test? The FLUF test was designed as a framework to critically evaluate content generated by artificial intelligence. Using the Format, Language, Usability, and Fanfare approach, participants examine the AI results for evidence of infractions. Format infractions include layout or length issues. Language infractions hit on tone, phrasing, or repetition of information. Usability infractions involve consistency or credibility. Finally, Fanfare infractions miss the mark on anecdotes and/or jargon. The goal is to regenerate and rewrite content down to zero FLUF with zero infractions. Book time with the CTE Consultant and creator, Dr. Jennifer Parker to learn more.
The Center for Teaching Excellence is constantly updating information about AI in its digital Resource Library. Check back often to find useful information about new tools and strategies for using AI in teaching and learning.
Empower your faculty, staff, or team with customized AI training sessions offered by the Center for Teaching Excellence. Collaborate with our team to design workshops tailored to your group’s preferences. Explore AI features, functionality, and digital tools, and co-create sessions covering topics such as time-saving tools for email, syllabus, learning objectives, and assessments. Utilize our experienced consultants to facilitate tailored sessions on integrating AI into lessons, AI-proofing assignments, or generating AI-driven content like text, images, presentations, and more. Let us assist in crafting meaningful professional development for your group, department, or team. Find out more by submitting a request.
Authored by UF leaders including CTE Director Dr. Alexandra Bitton-Bailey, this e-book examines that question about AI from different perspectives, which helps readers with varying degrees of familiarity connect to the content within the e-book. If you want to learn about artificial intelligence and incorporate it into a college/university course, then this book is a foundational guide you should use to get started. It assumes nothing and begins with basic terms and concepts used in AI and Data Science. The book grapples with the difficult question, “what is Artificial Intelligence?”—an incredibly broad term that means different things to different people. Read the book.
Visit the Keep Growing site here.
The applications of AI are limitless and whatever your interest level, you can increase your working knowledge of AI through professional development courses offered by the University of Florida.
UFIT Tech Bytes is a series that provides bite-sized events covering technologies and strategies to enhance teaching and learning. Register for upcoming Tech Byte events and access recordings of previous events on the Center for Instructional Technology and Training’s webpage.
Tech Byte Recording and Cookbook
- Recording of Tech Byte: AI Prompt Cookbook: Generative AI Recipes Designed to Enhance Teaching and Learning (54:09)
- AI Prompt Cookbook
The University of Florida is part of Unizin, a consortium of higher education institutions including Indiana University, University of Michigan, and Colorado State University. Unizin seeks to use the power of collective to build relationships with vendors and tools to the benefit of all. Staff and leaders from each institution meet on various committees (e.g. Teaching and Learning) to work through common needs. For example, the current Teaching and Learning committee is working on a Generative AI Guiding Principles document. Learn more about the work of the Teaching and Learning Advisory group.