Estimated read time: 6 mins

What?

Generative AI, such as ChatGPT and Dall-E, is increasingly being integrated into educational settings. These AI tools can potentially simulate real-world scenarios, provide personalized feedback, and create interactive learning environments. For instance, ChatGPT can simulate patient interactions in medical education, allowing students to practice communication and diagnostic skills in a safe environment (Amri and Hisan, 2023).  Similarly, in software development education, AI tools can help students understand coding concepts and ethical considerations by critically evaluating AI-generated outputs (Chen et al, 2023). 

So what?

In many ways, we struggle to catch up with the technology and think best about how to use it effectively and ethically. The integration of generative AI in assignments may offer several benefits. Firstly, it can bridge the gap between theoretical knowledge and practical application. For example, AI tools can generate realistic medical images for students to interpret, thus enhancing their diagnostic skills without needing real patient data (Amri and Hisan, 2023). Secondly, AI can provide immediate, personalized feedback, helping students to learn more efficiently. In programming education, AI can be a digital tutor, assisting students in debugging code and understanding complex concepts (Phung et al., 2023). 

Moreover, AI can foster critical thinking by encouraging students to evaluate and improve AI-generated content, thus deepening their understanding of the subject matter (Chen et al., 2023). That said, we need to be purposeful in AI integration. As you can appreciate this is an area of rapid growth.

Now what?

To effectively incorporate generative AI into assignments, educators may consider the following steps:

1. Identify the Right Fit: Determine which aspects of your course can benefit most from AI integration. For example, in a biomedical informatics course, AI tools can be used for hands-on learning and in-class activities to enhance metacognition and critical thinking (Zhao, Aydeniz, and Yuan, 2023). 
2. Explore Specific Exemplars: Look at successful case studies and examples. ChatGPT has been used in medical education to simulate patient interactions and generate medical images, providing a cost-effective and interactive learning experience (Amri and Hisan, 2023). In software development, AI tools have been used to create assignments requiring students to critically evaluate AI outputs critically, thus preventing the AI from "doing the homework" (Petrovska et al., 2024).
3. Apply a Framework for AI Alignment: Develop a structured approach to integrate AI into your curriculum. This could involve creating assignments that require students to use AI tools for specific tasks, such as generating new programming tasks or providing contextualized explanations (Phung et al., 2023). Additionally, consider the ethical implications and ensure that students understand the responsible use of AI (Petrovska et al., 2024).
4. Provide Digital Resources: Equip students with the necessary tools and resources to effectively use AI in their assignments. This could include access to AI platforms like ChatGPT and Dall-E, as well as tutorials and guides on how to use these tools effectively (Amri and Hisan, 2023; Petovska et al., 2024).

Conclusion

Incorporating generative AI into assignments can significantly enhance the learning experience by providing interactive, personalized, and practical applications of theoretical knowledge. By carefully selecting the right fit, exploring successful examples, applying a structured framework, and providing the necessary resources, educators can effectively integrate AI into their curriculum, preparing students for the future of work in an AI-driven world.

Resources

• Centre for Research in Assessment and Digital Learning (CRADLE)
• Contact North: AI in education resource hub
• The Curious Educator’s Guide to AI: Strategies and Exercises for Meaningful Use in Higher Ed
• The SHARE technique: a framework for thinking and revising assignments with AI in mind
• Perspectives on redesigning assessment practices in an AI world

References

Anders, B. A. (2023). The SHARE technique for designing assignments and assessments in the age of AI. C2C Digital Magazine, 1(19), 2.

Amri, M. M., & Hisan, U. K. (2023). Incorporating AI tools into medical education: harnessing the benefits of ChatGPT and Dall-E. Journal of Novel Engineering Science and Technology, 2(02), 34-39.

Chen, X. A., Burke, J., Du, R., Hong, M. K., Jacobs, J., Laban, P., & Zhou, B. (2023). Next steps for human-centered generative AI: A technical perspective. arXiv preprint arXiv:2306.15774.

Petrovska, O., Clift, L., Moller, F., & Pearsall, R. (2024, January). Incorporating Generative AI into Software Development Education. In Proceedings of the 8th Conference on Computing Education Practice (pp. 37-40).

Phung, T., Pădurean, V. A., Cambronero, J., Gulwani, S., Kohn, T., Majumdar, R., & Soares, G. (2023, August). Generative ai for programming education: Benchmarking chatgpt, gpt-4, and human tutors. In Proceedings of the 2023 ACM Conference on International Computing Education Research-Volume 2 (pp. 41-42).

Zhao, X., Aydeniz, M., & Yuan, F. (2023, October). Exploring Opportunities and Challenges of AI-incorporated Biomedical Informatics Education: A Qualitative Study. In 2023 IEEE EMBS International Conference on Biomedical and Health Informatics (BHI) (pp. 1-4). IEEE.