Artificial Intelligence

The Use of Generative AI Tools:  A Guide for Faculty

The use of generative AI tools in higher education is rapidly expanding and forever changing the way we teach and conduct research.  These tools are very exciting and transformational, while also being challenging.  It is incumbent upon instructors to learn about these tools and how they may directly influence the teaching and learning process in their individual courses.  While many are embracing these new tools and incorporating them into their instruction, others are electing to limit or prohibit their use altogether.  Therefore, individual faculty members must decide for themselves how generative AI tools will be used in their classes and inform their students accordingly.  Whether permitting, prohibiting, and/or limiting the use of these tools, faculty should establish guidelines and communicate them clearly to their students.  Students found to be utilizing generative AI tools in courses where use is expressly prohibited will be subject to the penalties outlined in the Academic Integrity Policy.   

What is Generative AI?

Generative AI is a type of intelligence that uses machine learning algorithms and large data sets to create new, original content.  Through the use of generative AI tools, the user can generate text, images, audio, videos, code, and more. But, use does not come without risks.  Potential biases and prejudices exist with AI generated data, and large language models, like ChatGPT, are known to make up information or hallucinate. Because information entered at prompts is stored, personal information should never be shared.

Provided below is a very small sample of the types of generative AI tools.  The examples are for creating awareness only.  Southeastern does not endorse or promote the use of any of these tools.       

  • ChatGPT - Generates text and code.  The most widely used generative AI tool in higher education, this large language model responds in writing to prompts or questions generated by the user.  A few of the ways it can be used is to write stories, essays, and emails; provide answers to homework questions; summarize class notes and journal articles; generate movie and book reviews;  and generate questions for exams and tests.
  • DALL-E, Canva Magic Studio, Adobe Firefly, Midjourney - Generates images from text.  Realistic visual images are created when the user provides a description of the desired image.
  • Pictory, Synthesys, Synthesia, Zapier - Generates videos from text provided by the user.  While platforms differ in style and substance, these tools allow videos to be created from a user-generated script.
  • Audiosonic, Speechify, LOVO - Generates audio with realistic AI voices.  Text is turned into human-like voices with the use of these tools.

Watch these Webinars

 

The University of Louisiana System's Bridging the Divide Summer 2023 Series featured several sessions on Artificial Intelligence that included Southeastern's Dr. Elizabeth Hornsby, the ULS Content Expert for Online Teaching and Learning.  View the sessions below to learn more.

 

Practical AI for Instructors and Students (10 to 12 minutes each):  A 5-part series for those new to the use of generative AI (Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania; University of Arizona Libraries licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License).

 

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