Our work

Antony Smith, an educator specializing in literacy and education, integrates artificial intelligence into his new course on banned books and controversial topics in children’s and young adult literature. In his course, students use ChatGPT to draft reviews of the books they read, which they then revise for style, voice, and content accuracy. He uses Jabari Jumps by Gaia Cornwall as an example, noting the AI’s review missed significant themes and characters, which required correction for deeper accuracy and relevance. Smith also leverages AI to develop course themes, demonstrating its utility in educational settings by refining AI-generated content for his syllabus. He encourages experimentation with AI for personal responses in assignments, despite mixed results, to enhance learning experiences.

Afra Mashhadi, a computer science faculty specializing in machine learning and natural language processing, shares how she utilizes generative AI, particularly in creating course content and materials. She found generative AI to be very helpful in outlining a class schedule for her course, developing rubrics that foster growth-oriented teaching, and ensuring that her syllabi are inclusive and welcoming. By submitting her syllabi to AI for tone analysis, she seeks to make her language more accessible and supportive, particularly for minority students. She appreciates the flexibility of AI in aligning course assignments with learning objectives and in offering different ways to achieve those objectives. Mashhadi views AI as a valuable tool in her teaching arsenal, treating it like a colleague whose input is considered but verified, acknowledging its limitations while appreciating its utility.