This is so interesting - I just want to make sure I understand though - did many of the students who selected the "AI-free" track end up, either inadvertently or not, using AI? You mention several submitting obviously fabricated work - were these the students on the AI-friendly track? Did you model for them what AI-friendly meant? I think such a huge part of the challenge is that we all may have an internally different understanding of what AI-friendly means. Until that is made visible, it will be hard for students to understand precisely what we mean when we say an "AI-friendly" assignment. But interesting experiment that dovetails with my experience at the HS level - many kids aren't using, but those who are definitely aren't in ways that we might hope(?) or that reflects intentionality. Experimentation is going to be essential.
Hi Stephen! So, many of the students did, in fact, end up inadvertently using GenAI. They did not, however, often understand that they were doing so. I think you're correct in saying that we have different internal understandings of what "AI-friendly means." An additional challenge I experienced during this experiment was the speed at which these tools update. For example, my institution has Google for Education, but unless you're carefully monitoring the capabilities of these differentt tools, you might not even know that a significant update has occurred. That's all to say that my own understanding of what "GenAI friendly" might mean shifted over the course of this class as well.
"All but one student in my class decided to be 'AI Free' for the course. Students cited concerns over environmental impacts, learning loss, and their motivations for signing up for the course in the first place as reasons for their decision to remain 'AI Free.' Several students reflected on how they thought it would be antithetical to use GenAI in a course centered on creativity."
Good for your students!
I appreciate your reflections on the difficulty students face in avoiding AI when it's companies are making it harder and harder to do so when using word processing programs, search engines, etc.
In my experience teaching writing at a community college, students are trying to balance the pressure to pass my class (to pass the next class, to get their degree, to get a job...) with their desire for an experience that values their voice and centers their learning. Which, from what I've seen, is what most of them really want and will choose when they feel that the choice is there for them.
To me, the test is to design my class in a way that encourages students to do the work themselves and supports them in doing so.
Thank you for your thoughts! I completely agree with you in terms of students' desire to authentically engage in their education, as well as the way that you think about your course design!
Noël and Emily, Thank you, thank you whole heartedly for sharing your experiences. Truth be told, I was anxious for an update; as I will be attempting a similar choose-your-learning-adventure model, although for a four-credit first-year required course.
And I very much appreciate that you made a pivot at the halfway point--as that what I keep telling myself. There is always an emergency break.
Truth be told I'm nervous. Folks on campus are pretty pessimistic and think honestly, the exact opposite of your experience--every student will choose AI.
All to say, thank you, thank you again for all your transparency and honesty. Here goes nothing--as my dear friend recently shared, at least you're getting in the ring.
Excellent post! I talked with Noël before she started this "experiment" and it is wonderful to read about how it went. Fascinating. What a terribly confusing time to be a student...or an educator!
I was complete unaware of the “ecological approach”to writing! It makes so much sense in the context of generative AI!! Thank you for your reflection. It is helping me think about my teaching.
This is so interesting - I just want to make sure I understand though - did many of the students who selected the "AI-free" track end up, either inadvertently or not, using AI? You mention several submitting obviously fabricated work - were these the students on the AI-friendly track? Did you model for them what AI-friendly meant? I think such a huge part of the challenge is that we all may have an internally different understanding of what AI-friendly means. Until that is made visible, it will be hard for students to understand precisely what we mean when we say an "AI-friendly" assignment. But interesting experiment that dovetails with my experience at the HS level - many kids aren't using, but those who are definitely aren't in ways that we might hope(?) or that reflects intentionality. Experimentation is going to be essential.
Hi Stephen! So, many of the students did, in fact, end up inadvertently using GenAI. They did not, however, often understand that they were doing so. I think you're correct in saying that we have different internal understandings of what "AI-friendly means." An additional challenge I experienced during this experiment was the speed at which these tools update. For example, my institution has Google for Education, but unless you're carefully monitoring the capabilities of these differentt tools, you might not even know that a significant update has occurred. That's all to say that my own understanding of what "GenAI friendly" might mean shifted over the course of this class as well.
"All but one student in my class decided to be 'AI Free' for the course. Students cited concerns over environmental impacts, learning loss, and their motivations for signing up for the course in the first place as reasons for their decision to remain 'AI Free.' Several students reflected on how they thought it would be antithetical to use GenAI in a course centered on creativity."
Good for your students!
I appreciate your reflections on the difficulty students face in avoiding AI when it's companies are making it harder and harder to do so when using word processing programs, search engines, etc.
In my experience teaching writing at a community college, students are trying to balance the pressure to pass my class (to pass the next class, to get their degree, to get a job...) with their desire for an experience that values their voice and centers their learning. Which, from what I've seen, is what most of them really want and will choose when they feel that the choice is there for them.
To me, the test is to design my class in a way that encourages students to do the work themselves and supports them in doing so.
Thank you for your thoughts! I completely agree with you in terms of students' desire to authentically engage in their education, as well as the way that you think about your course design!
Noël and Emily, Thank you, thank you whole heartedly for sharing your experiences. Truth be told, I was anxious for an update; as I will be attempting a similar choose-your-learning-adventure model, although for a four-credit first-year required course.
And I very much appreciate that you made a pivot at the halfway point--as that what I keep telling myself. There is always an emergency break.
Truth be told I'm nervous. Folks on campus are pretty pessimistic and think honestly, the exact opposite of your experience--every student will choose AI.
All to say, thank you, thank you again for all your transparency and honesty. Here goes nothing--as my dear friend recently shared, at least you're getting in the ring.
Happy to share, and I hope my experience helps you as you get ready for the fall! I'd love to hear how your own experiment goes this fall!
Excellent post! I talked with Noël before she started this "experiment" and it is wonderful to read about how it went. Fascinating. What a terribly confusing time to be a student...or an educator!
Hi Emily! I hope you are doing well! SO much has changed since we last spoke; I can hardly believe the speed at which all of this is moving.
Wonderful post! Thank you for sharing, Noël, and for the helpful links out to resources that I'll be using in the future.
Thank you so much, Mary Isbell! I appreciate it!
I was complete unaware of the “ecological approach”to writing! It makes so much sense in the context of generative AI!! Thank you for your reflection. It is helping me think about my teaching.
Thank you for your kind words!