Critical AI Literacy

Grasping the fundamentals of GenAI is increasingly vital for faculty and students alike in higher education. Understanding how GenAI operates, exploring the tools it offers, and understanding its limitations, risks, and ethical concerns are becoming increasingly important as the proliferation of these tools in higher education continues.

General GenAI Knowledge:

• Foundations: Understand what GenAI is and a non-technical understanding of operational mechanics.
• Tool Awareness: Knowledge of the various GenAI models and tools available is crucial.
• Limitations and Ethics: Recognising GenAI’s limitations, potential risks, and ethical dilemmas is essential.
• Academic Integrity: The relationship between GenAI and academic integrity must be carefully considered, emphasising the importance of responsible use.

Applying GenAI in Higher Education:

Incorporating GenAI tools into higher education can open up new avenues for teaching and learning. These tools, driven by extensive training data, are designed to respond to ‘prompts'—the initial inputs or questions we pose. Understanding the mechanics of prompts is crucial, as the same prompt can yield diverse outcomes.

To leverage GenAI effectively in higher education, it’s important to learn strategies  for efficient interaction. 'Prompt engineering' becomes a key skill here, involving the art of formulating prompts that lead the GenAI to deliver outputs that are not only relevant but also accurate. Moreover, when incorporating AI-generated content into the curriculum, we must be mindful of copyright considerations, ensuring that the use and distribution of such content adhere to legal and ethical standards.

While GenAI can offer benefits for higher education, it’s important to acknowledge its limitations. The variability in responses to identical prompts, as shown in the example below (from ChatGPT a prominent GenAI tool), highlights the need for a critical approach to using these tools. This ensures that their application in teaching and learning aligns with our educational objectives and maintains the integrity of academic content.

Critical Analysis of GenAI Outputs:

In higher education, effectively utilising GenAI tools extends beyond their application. It necessitates a critical analysis of the outputs generated by these tools. This involves prompt modification—understanding how to dissect outputs and tweak prompts to yield the most beneficial results. Equally important is content evaluation, which entails a comprehensive examination of GenAI content for its accuracy, uncovering potential biases, considering ethical implications, and verifying the origins of its information.

Acquiring the appropriate knowledge in GenAI involves more than understanding its technical aspects; it also includes developing critical thinking and reflective skills. As faculty, this means not only learning these skills ourselves but also guiding our students to thoughtfully evaluate AI-generated content and comprehend its wider implications within higher education. By adopting this comprehensive approach, we ensure that the integration of GenAI into our educational practices is conducted responsibly, upholding our academic values and standards and fostering an environment where students are equipped to navigate the complexities of AI with discernment.”

Attribution:

This page has been adapted from:

Centre for Faculty Development and Teaching Innovation, C. C. (2023, October 25). Generative Artificial Intelligence in teaching and learning. Generative Artificial Intelligence in Teaching and Learning. Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License. https://ecampusontario.pressbooks.pub/ccgenerativeai/