Sask. universities taking progressive approach to teaching AI in the classroom

Universities in Saskatchewan are trying to help students use artificial intelligence as another skill on their resume when they graduate.

“I think our challenge as an institution is to be able to work with ChatGPT and artificial intelligence as a way that students can use it as another source to enrich what they are able to bring to the forefront for the type of assignments they have,” said Jeff Keshen, the president of the University of Regina.

Artificial intelligence is defined on the University of Regina’s Centre for Teaching and Learning website page as human intelligence acting that performs a tasks that can require human-like thinking.

There are currently almost 5,000 artificial intelligence tools available on Futurepedia, an AI tool directory.

ChatGPT is a very popular artificial intelligence chatbot, where a question or request can create a conversational and analytical response. It launched last November, when it gained criticism that the device would be used for plagiarism.

While many universities are monitoring plagiarism in students’ assignments, administrations are also trying to prepare students to use artificial intelligence to help them think critically.

Both the University of Saskatchewan and University of Regina do not have policies prohibiting the use of AI in assignments and projects. Instead, frequently asked questions about ChatGPT and AI are being created to help guide professors on how to use AI in their classrooms.

Dr. Nancy Turner, the assistant vice-provost for teaching and learning at the University of Saskatchewan, has helped set some of those guidelines for professors and students.

“What we are doing as a university is allowing faculty to determine whether the use of generative AI is appropriate for their particular course and any particular assignment,” said Turner. “What’s really important in that is that they can clearly communicate those expectations to students.

“Usually, those kind of choices are based on what kind of learning outcomes that faculty member is trying to help support the students to achieve through the assignment and therefore whether generative AI is going to limit their capacity to achieve those outcomes or whether it’s actually going to help support it.”

By leaving guidelines to the professors’ discretion, professors have the option to incorporate AI into students’ assignments. Turner explains that as long as those guidelines are followed, students should not run into plagiarism repercussions.

“We do know that any kind of misuse of generative AI by students in their studies will fall within our existing academic misconduct regulations,” she said. “While we haven’t put anything in specifically about generative AI there, our existing regulations would certainly apply in those cases.”

Turner said that clarification on certain words in the existing academic integrity policies may be updated to allow for the use of artificial intelligence.

Keshen said the last thing the University of Regina was trying to do was think about artificial intelligence like Prohibition – it can’t be outlawed.

“We have to anticipate the future, and this is the future. It is not going anywhere – and in fact the technology is becoming much more sophisticated,” said Keshen.

ChatGPT can be used without infringing upon academic integrity policies. For example, education students could use it to help develop lesson plans and students and professors could use it to write emails faster.

Turner explained it can be used to develop stronger essay prompts.

“I’ve certainly seen it be very limited. I think what I have come to understand very clearly about it is that the quality of the output is very much dependant of the quality of the prompt,” she said.

Keshen was wowed when he put in his own historical question.

“I was just floored about the way that it came up with the argument, and the essay was well-structured, well-written, thoughtful (and) analytical,” he said.

Keshen said there are still some students who use ChatGPT for unethical purposes, but there is software for professors to catch plagiarism when it happens.