BC3, SRU task forces evaluate use of artificial intelligence in academics
Calculators, the internet and even Wikipedia each changed education when they became accessible to students at all levels of education. Artificial intelligence is the latest game-changing tool that academic institutions have to engage with.
In response, Butler County Community College and Slippery Rock University have groups examining the use of AI in academic work, and each is communicating with their respective administrations to make a path forward with the technology.
But the speed at which generative artificial intelligence has been rolled out to the world has these institutions studying its possible uses and potential “while the plane is already in the air.”
“I don’t think anybody was ahead of the curve, we kind of knew it was happening but we didn't know how much,” said Brian Danielson, leader of SRU’s AI study group. He is also director of the Center for Teaching and Learning at the university.
“What we’re trying to do is create a culture here where faculty is aware of generative AI and how it works. It’s integrated into the curriculum, we don’t want them to think of it as a shortcut, but a tool.”
The BC3 task force, Project Beta, is headed by Michael Dittman, who is also a professor of English at the college. Dittman said the project is in phase two of its plan, which succeeds a yearlong phase of speaking with college personnel about different uses for artificial intelligence that could “smooth out their workflow.”
The next phase involves bringing the task force’s findings to college president Megan Coval to get further direction on implementing AI in classes.
“The goal wasn’t they were gonna solve AI, the goal was just to try some stuff out,” Dittman said. “Twelve people, we had a great time working with them and we had a great time finding out about their experiences in January.”
At both schools, the groups are examining how AI will be used academically, what its boundaries are in student work and ways that instructors can discuss and teach about the technology in an ethical and productive way.
Dittman said part of the drive behind the task force is to find ways to pass on useful aspects of AI to area businesses, nonprofits and municipalities — which could each simplify their workloads with AI tools. The college could go on to teach community classes to small government administrators on the use of these tools, Dittman said.
“That leads us into becoming more outward-facing, small businesses who might have questions, how it might be able to help them,” he said. “We want BC3 to be the community college, and we really wanted a place for people to come.”
But as he explained, many students in the college’s academic programs are already acquainted with AI, and have no doubt used a model in some way relating to their school work. The task force did not form in an attempt to curb the use of AI, but rather figure out how it can support student studies and how the college can prepare students to use it in their prospective careers post-graduation.
“I think we’re trying to future-proof our students. That they have these skills so that they can’t be outsourced,” Dittman said. “Employers are going to want these skills, no matter what their major is.”
BC3 and SRU have classes that implement use of AI into their curriculums, with Danielson referencing information technology and other computer-related fields, where different types of online technology are consistently discussed. Some professors at the university are also well-versed in the use of AI technology, and have led discussions on products like ChatGPT with people even outside of college classes.
“From the classroom perspective, we have faculty who are using AI differently. To design instructional content, to help students prepare for the workplace and help students use it responsibly,” Danielson said.
Dittman said the BC3 task force is also getting students involved in helping to develop appropriate uses for AI on campus. The phases the college are utilizing are using yearslong increments to plan for AI’s implementation and use, and Dittman and other task force members will work on reports periodically.
“We’re gathering together a group of students, and they’re going to talk about what AI means to them, what the challenges are, what the benefits are, and what cheating means at this point,” he said.
And college administrators and professors aren’t the only ones thinking critically about AI, its use and its effect on higher education — according to Dittman, he has already had discussions with students who are skeptical of using AI, and these conversations have been productive in evaluating the technology from an academic perspective.
“I had a couple students who said using AI at all is cheating. And I always pushed back against that, it’s a tool,” Dittman said. “I still have a handful of students who push back based on environmental concerns … which we acknowledge, we talk about.”
Dittman said he has a meeting scheduled with BC3 president Megan Coval regarding initial findings of the college’s AI task force.
Meanwhile, Danielson said Timothy Slekar, SRU’s associate provost for academic innovation and dean of graduate and continuing education, is also involved in the study group in a discovery group role. Danielson said that by aligning staff from different departments into one mission, the university can have a consistent understanding when it comes to the use of AI.
Right now, that understanding seems to be that AI is a tool to learn, not to use to replace actual learning.
“Really, the goal is to remove the impetus to use it, so encouraging students and saying, ‘You’re not here to take shortcuts, you’re here to learn. The goal is to learn the material,’” Danielson said. “Your outcome can’t be know the information. The outcome has to be learning how to do it.”
Danielson also said professors have autonomy in teaching their courses, so some may rise to the challenge that AI presents them.
“We’ve been through this before,” Danielson said of confronting developing technology. “This is definitely high-octane, but the professor has to adjust to the world. You have to change the way you teach based on the generation.”
