Generative AI in education

What is generative AI?

Perhaps unknowlingly, we all encounter artificial intelligence (AI) in various forms every day, and it surely is nothing new. When you unlock your mobile with facial recognition, it is AI. When you take photos with your mobile, AI is used to figure out the best focus and settings, and when you use voice assistants like Google Home or Siri, AI is used to decipher what you are saying. You get recommendations for movies or series on streaming services, you get suggestions for responses to emails, and you (usually) avoid spam in your mailbox thanks to AI. Recently, however, the focus has come to be on what is called generative AI, and especially language models like ChatGPT.

Generative AI is a form of artificial intelligence that is trained to generate output based on massive training data when asked prompts/questions by a user. Examples of generative AI tools are ChatGPT, Dall-E, Ellicit, and Bloombot. AI in various forms and even generative AI is, and will remain, a part of our lives and we all need to relate to this. This includes being able to make wise and informed decisions about how and when AI can be used, and it requires each one of us to inform ourselves about what AI is and how it affects us in our various roles and this can be said to be part of what is called AI literacy.

If you meet university students in teaching, AI literacy means, among other things, that you need to have insight and knowledge into how your students will encounter AI in their future professional roles and therefore update syllabuses and teaching based on that. You also need to think through how you talk about generative AI tools in your course and how students are expected, or not expected, to use these and how you can guide them in this use. This applies both to their studies on their own and before and during examinations. Clarify your position on the use of generative AI and academic honesty in general, but also think about how you and your students can benefit from using AI. It may feel easy to fall into the trap of just thinking about students potentially using generative AI services to write assignments and take-home exams, but this is about so much more than that. Be clear with your expectations regarding the use of AI. Below tou will find material on the subject of generative AI that you can direct your students to.

Important questions to ask when using language bots in relation to teaching:

• Are there language errors?
• Are there factual errors?
• Are there skewed perspectives or values?
• Am I about to send sensitive information?
• Is this unreflective offloading? (Are you missing any learning by using the tool?)
• Does this follow applicable governing documents?
• Is this good pedagogy?

Do you want support in managing generative AI and teaching?

We offer free consultations, workshops, and trainings that can be customized based on your needs. Contact Educational Development at PUkontakt@miun.se or book an appoinment through this link:

www.miun.se/boka-pu