“Teaching in the Age of AI” Series Running Throughout 2023–24
By Amanda Leary
*Note: This post was originally published August 5, 2023. The date is updated with each addition to the page.
Since ChatGPT burst onto the scene in December 2022, higher education has been buzzing with talk of, quite simply, what to do about it. Generative artificial intelligence tools—large language models such as ChatGPT, image generators like Midjourney and Dall-E, presentation generators like Decktopus and SlidesAI, as well as a whole host of AI assistants and disciplinary tools—are changing the landscape of education, and the ground is shifting all the time as new technologies continue to be developed.
Higher education is no stranger to disruptive technologies; it wasn’t too long ago that we were reckoning with cell phones, laptops, and calculators, and adapting our pedagogy to meet these emerging trends. Now, we are preparing for the next wave: AI isn’t going anywhere. As we head into the academic year, instructors are challenged with how to adapt their teaching to this new reality.
To that end, we have created the Teaching in the Age of AI Series: a slate of workshops, conversations, and events designed to create a supportive community of faculty members and teaching staff and provide the knowledge, skills, and resources necessary to adapt and effectively integrate AI technologies into their teaching.
We will be updating this post regularly with resources, recordings, and new events, so check back often!
Spring 2024 Events
Fall 2023 Events (Includes Workshop Materials)
Spring 2024
Empowering Educators with AI-Assisted Course Design & Syllabus Development
Wednesday, April 17
11:00 a.m.– 12:15 p.m.
Hesburgh Library 247
Register Here
Discover the potential of generative AI—such as ChatGPT, DALL-E, Nolej, and more—in assisting with course design and syllabus development. Our interactive workshop invites instructors to a demonstration and discussion session. Here, we’ll explore crafting effective prompts that harness AI’s capabilities, providing valuable support during the crucial final stages of course preparation. Join us to learn, share, and innovate as we navigate the exciting intersection of AI and education.
Presenters: Alex Ambrose, Kevin Abbott, and Amanda Leary
Teaching in the Age of AI: Student Perspectives
Friday, April 19
10:00–11:15 a.m.
138 Corbett Family Hall, Door #3
Register Here
Join this dynamic student panel discussion on the impact of artificial intelligence in college education. Discover how AI is reshaping learning, research, and the overall academic experience from the students’ perspective. Our diverse panel will explore the benefits and challenges of AI integration, addressing ethical considerations and future potentials in higher education. This session offers a unique opportunity for educators and students to engage with firsthand experiences and insights on the transformative role of AI in academia.
Moderators: Alex Ambrose and Amanda Leary
Crafting Rubrics with Canvas & ChatGPT to Streamline Grading
Wednesday, March 13
Session Materials Coming Soon!
Join us in this virtual brown bag Zoom workshop designed to enhance your assessment and grading strategies. In this session, we will dive deep into the fundamentals of rubric creation, emphasizing how they bring clarity and consistency to grading processes for both educators and students. Discover the art of crafting rubrics that not only make expectations transparent but also promote higher quality submissions from students. Our workshop will guide you through the process of designing effective rubrics, with a special focus on leveraging ChatGPT’s capabilities to streamline this process. Additionally, we’ll introduce you to Canvas Rubrics and Speedgrader, integrated tools within your Learning Management System (LMS) that can further simplify and enhance your assessment techniques. Join us for an informative session that promises to refine your assessment skills and transform your approach to student evaluation.
Presenters: Alex Ambrose, Kevin Abbott, and Laura Cira
Technology and Distraction: Mid-Term Check-Ins on Your Attention Policies
Monday, March 4
Key Takeaways, Slides, and Event Recording
On your syllabus or on the first day of the semester, you might have set a policy on the student use of technology in the classroom: smartphones, tablets, laptops, and even artificial intelligence tools. The approach of spring break provides an opportunity to evaluate the effectiveness of those policies and see whether they need revision. In this virtual session, we wll consider the implications of different approaches to technology policies in the classroom and how they might impact student behavior and learning. A simple survey tool, designed by the Kaneb Center, will be offered to help check in with your students at the midpoint of the semester and spark a conversation about your policies and the reasoning behind them.
Presenters: Jim Lang and Alex Ambrose
Polling in the Classroom: Innovating Formative Assessments with ChatGPT Assistance
Wednesday, February 21
Key Takeaways, Slides, and Event Recording
Join us in this virtual brown bag Zoom workshop, where we explore the art and science of effective polling. We’ll explore a range of best practices and tools, including Poll Everywhere and Google Forms, to enhance your teaching strategies. Additionally, we’ll discuss pedagogical techniques and questioning strategies tailored for classroom engagement. A new focus will be on how Generative AI, such as ChatGPT, can aid instructors in designing impactful formative assessment multiple-choice questions for polls or clickers. This workshop is designed to cater to a variety of needs, whether you’re looking to use polling for attendance tracking, in-class assessments, fostering student participation, or seeking technical guidance.
Presenters: Alex Ambrose and Kevin Abbott
Fall 2023
Authentic Assessment in the Age of AI
Friday, November 10
Key Takeaways, Slides, and Event Recording
This workshop session invites participants to reflect on how emerging technologies like generative AI impact conventional approaches to grading and assessment. Participants will have the opportunity to reflect on their own grading and assessment practices and explore course-level alternative assessment frameworks that promote student engagement. The session will equip instructors to respond to concerns about generative AI’s impact on teaching and learning through grading and assessment practices that promote equity and inclusion.
Presenters: Katie Walden and Brian Mulholland
Authentic Learning in the Age of AI
Friday, October 6
Key Takeaways, Slides, and Event Recording
This workshop session provides space for instructors to consider how starting a course framework with clear learning goals can promote student engagement and buy-in. This session invites instructors to consider how involving students in conversations around course learning goals can promote student engagement and deep learning. The session will provide space for attendees to brainstorm their own learning goals for a particular instructional context.
Presenters: Katie Walden and Brian Mulholland
Principles for Writing Assignments and Assessments in the Age of AI
Wednesday, September 13
Key Takeaways, Slides, and Event Recording
In this workshop, members of the University Writing Program will offer principles and strategies for writing-focused assignment design and assessment intended to foster authentic student writing and, in turn, disincentivize some of the more dishonest uses of generative AI. Emphasis will be placed on the design of inclusive assignments that value student voice, the integration of process-oriented exercises, and a consideration of best practices for assessing student work. Time will be given to participants to develop and workshop materials related to the discussion. May be of particular interest to those teaching Writing-Intensive and USEM courses.
Presenters: Presenters: Nathaniel Myers, Whitney James, Alex Ambrose, and Michelle Marvin
Teaching in the Age of AI Kickoff Panel
Wednesday, August 16
Key Takeaways, Slides, and Event Recording
This back-to-school basics panel provides a space for instructors to consider how the intersection of large language models (LLMs) and generative AI tools (such as ChatGPT) impact and shape the work of teaching and learning. Through discussions, case studies, and collaborative activities, participants will identify challenges posed by these tools and start to consider how student-centered assessment practices and course policies can respond to those concerns. By fostering collaboration and sharing best practices, this session invites participants into a larger ongoing conversation and programming series around authentic assessment and inclusive pedagogical practices in the current technological landscape.
Presenters: Alex Ambrose, Ardea Russo, Nathaniel Myers, Katherine Walden, Brian Mulholland, Whitney James, Steve Varela
Conversations Around Big Questions
Second Friday of Each Month (September 15, October 13, November 10)
These conversations will feature discussions of current innovations, unanswered questions, and future directions of AI in practice. Over coffee and refreshments, our University community will meet to envision what AI in practice means for us in our classrooms, departments, and at Notre Dame. Meet-ups will consist of time to network with colleagues, a short overview of a current unanswered question or innovation in AI, and discussion prompts for our community to consider together.
To learn more about teaching in the age of AI, check out our resource guide.