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Office for Faculty Excellence

Navigating the Landscape of Higher Education in the Age of Artificial Intelligence

Welcome to the North Carolina State University’s resource page for faculty members aiming to adapt to the rapidly evolving landscape of artificial intelligence (AI). As AI technologies continue to influence various fields, it is essential for educators and researchers to understand how to integrate AI-related concepts into their operations effectively. 

By integrating AI concepts and embracing best practices, we can empower our community to thrive in the age of AI. Nurturing our understanding of AI’s potential and ethical considerations will prepare all members of NC State to be responsible innovators and leaders in our fields.

  • Stay Updated: Keep yourself informed about the latest developments in AI and its applications. Follow reputable journals, conferences, and online resources to stay current with emerging trends and breakthroughs.
  • Integrate Real-world Examples: Incorporate real-world examples and case studies showcasing how AI has influenced your discipline. This will help students and collaborators relate AI concepts to practical applications and foster a deeper understanding.
  • Promote Ethical Discussions: Encourage students and collaborators to discuss and analyze the ethical implications of AI. Address issues such as bias, privacy, transparency, and the societal impact of AI technologies. Create a safe and open environment for respectful discussions.
  • Guide for Students on the Ethical use of Generative AI Tools: A PDF that can be used by students to evaluate the use of AI in your course
  • AI Tools and Platforms: Familiarize yourself with accessible AI tools and platforms that can enrich the research and learning experience. Provide opportunities for hands-on projects and exercises using these tools to empower users in their AI journey.
  • Collaborative Projects: Foster teamwork and collaboration by assigning group projects that require students and collaborators to work together on AI-related challenges. This mirrors the interdisciplinary nature of AI development in the real world.
  • Encourage Critical Thinking: Design assignments and projects that encourage critical thinking and problem-solving skills in the context of AI. Challenge students and collaborators to evaluate AI algorithms, understand their limitations, and propose improvements.
  • Guest Lecturers and Industry Experts: Invite guest lecturers and industry experts (when appropriate) from AI-related fields to share their experiences and insights. Their expertise can offer practical perspectives and inspire users in their AI exploration.
  • Personalized Learning: Consider implementing adaptive learning techniques that leverage AI to tailor content and learning experiences based on each student’s progress and strengths.
  • Provide Support: Offer additional support and resources for students who may be new to AI concepts. Supplemental materials, tutoring, or office hours can assist students in grasping complex AI topics.
  • Continuous Improvement: Seek feedback from students about the course content and teaching methods related to AI. Use this feedback to improve the course and adapt to the evolving landscape of AI.
  • Build assignments in which students justify their choices, since working with AI will often involve choosing an appropriate solution/idea.
  • Build iteration / revision into assignments so that there is evidence of how the work evolved over time. This ties into justification of choices in the iterative process.
  • Ask students to do a new form of “showing your work” by recording the AI used (and when), the inputs and the outputs, and what the student did with the outputs. When you ask students to record and communicate the processes explicitly it helps answer the question “how did this work get done”? It also could be a helpful record when addressing concerns about academic integrity and maybe even help avoid some issues in the first place.
  • If the AI provides citations, ask students to acknowledge them and say whether they checked the references and if so, what were the results when they checked.
  • Because AI draws from the Internet, it often results in incorrect information.  Encourage critical thinking by having students critique the responses they get from AI inquiries.
  • Remind students of the differences between using a search engine and using AI.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) has become an increasingly influential and powerful tool in various fields, including education. In this course, you are welcome to explore and incorporate AI-related concepts and technologies, provided they align with the learning objectives and academic integrity standards of this class. Below are the acceptable uses of AI in this course:

  • AI as a Learning Aid: You are encouraged to leverage AI-based tools and platforms to enhance your learning experience. These tools can provide personalized study resources, interactive simulations, and adaptive learning experiences tailored to your individual progress and needs.
  • AI for Research and Data Analysis: If your course involves research or data analysis, you can utilize AI tools to assist in data processing, pattern recognition, and insights generation. However, it is essential to ensure that you understand the underlying algorithms and interpret the results critically.
  • AI for Creative Projects: You may use AI in creative projects, such as generating art, music, or creative writing. However, it is important to maintain your creative input and provide proper attribution if AI-generated content is used in your work.
  • AI Programming and Implementation: If the course involves programming or implementing AI algorithms, you are encouraged to explore and experiment with various AI techniques to achieve the learning objectives of the assignments.
  • Ethical Considerations: In any AI-related work, it is crucial to consider the ethical implications of AI technologies. Ensure that your use of AI aligns with ethical guidelines, respects privacy, avoids bias, and promotes fairness and transparency.
  • Collaboration with AI Systems: You may collaborate with AI systems in projects or assignments, but remember that the primary goal is to enhance your understanding of course materials and concepts. Avoid over reliance on AI to complete tasks without actively engaging with the subject matter.

While we encourage the integration of AI in your learning experience, there are certain uses of AI that are not permitted in this course:

  • Cheating and Academic Dishonesty: Using AI to plagiarize or produce work without proper attribution is strictly prohibited. Per the Code of Student Conduct, all work submitted must be your original creation, with appropriate citations when referring to external sources.
  • Unauthorized Assistance: Do not use AI to access unauthorized materials or solutions during examinations, quizzes, or other assessments. Any form of unauthorized assistance is a violation of academic integrity.
  • Malicious Intent: Do not use AI for any activities that may cause harm or compromise security.
  • For instructors, the Office of Student Conduct provides resources for promoting academic integrity and addressing academic misconduct in your courses.

Teaching Resources from DELTA

For instructors, the Office of Student Conduct provides resources for promoting academic integrity and addressing academic misconduct in your courses.

Resources from NC State Extension

Please bookmark this page as we plan to add additional resources as they become available, and contact us at  faculty-excellence@ncsu.edu with questions, or additional resources to be added. 

By integrating AI concepts and embracing best practices, we can empower our community to thrive in the age of AI. Nurturing our understanding of AI’s potential and ethical considerations will prepare all members of NC State to be responsible innovators and leaders in our fields.  This information was developed by the Office of Faculty Excellence in collaboration with the Data Science Academy.