Artificial intelligence (AI) tools such as ChatGPT can prove very valuable and promising in the realm of higher education but come with their own suite of issues that need to be considered, according to higher ed leaders and faculty who participated in a panel discussion on Wednesday.
Dr. Gilda BarabinoOlin College of Engineering
"Our use of AI in our teaching can be seen both as a threat to how students acquire foundational knowledge, but it can also be an enabler to enhance student learning,” said panelist Dr. Gilda A. Barabino, president of the Olin College of Engineering.
The Jan. 10 online panel – hosted by the American Association of Colleges and Universities (AAC&U) – invited a number of scholars in higher ed to weigh in on the potential and challenges that AI tools may bring to the field.
Moderated by AAC&U President Dr. Lynn Pasquerella, the discussion comes at a time when the topic of AI tools continues to make its rounds through public discourse nationally and internationally, particularly in sectors such as art, writing, and labor.
The arrival of consumer-grade AI tools into higher ed space has been swift and “immediate” like few other things in history have been, said panelist Dr. C. Edward Watson, AAC&U’s associate vice president for curricular and pedagogical innovation and executive director for open educational resources and digital innovation.
"ChatGPT launched in November of 2022,” Watson said. “Within two months, there was a survey of students that found 89% had already given ChatGPT a try."
And with its introduction into the mainstream comes a number of promising cases. But faculty need to be properly trained for AI so that they can then in turn prepare students to both be competent in using AI and ready for workplaces where AI is present, Barabino said.
