Generative AI - a guide for faculty and staff

Why Our Students Need Us to Work With GenAI

Most of our students entering the workforce, either from our doors, or the doors of the 4-year they transfer to, will be using AI daily, either by choice or by requirement. AI is less likely to eliminate jobs, than it is to transform jobs, and the difference in employability within a field will likely be down to who uses AI and who doesn't. Our students need us to allow them to use and critically discuss AI in the classroom, as applicable, while maintaining the rigor and values of our discipline areas..

Recommendations

The following is an active list of short term and long term recommendations regarding the realities of AI at TCC

• AI support from the Library and Learning Innovation division for students, staff and faculty, which may include hiring a support person who is fluent in AI and, specifically, it's demonstrated uses in learning environments.

• AI support available from TCC Tutoring services for students
• Faculty led professional development opportunities about AI, and about discussing and using AI in the classroom.
• A funded community of practice for faculty who are working with AI, who want to work with AI, who want to understand the implications of AI in higher education, and who want to support AI discussions and use of AI in the classroom.
• AI workshops and collaborative opportunities for students
• A campus-wide equity-focused policy statement about AI and AI use as a part of the TCC educational experience
• Credit bearing, distribution, AI course(s)
• An AA degree in AI, or a certificate add-on for any degree.

Some Other Community Colleges' Use

Ideas from outside TCC

Curation Considerations and Avoiding the Arms Race Mentality

I am curating information here that supports generative AI (genAI) use in class and project work. You may find examples of considerations and suggestions from our colleagues in higher education that I regard as a bunker, arms race mentality. In my opinion we can't go down that path. In an arms race with technology, including genAI we, and our students, will lose.

Note: You may find some articles behind a paywall. I have done my best to find articles free to all, or from sites that offer a number of free articles before lowering that wall.

Free Mini Module

Microsoft has launched a 53 minute module "Empower educators to explore the potential of artificial intelligence"

I encourage you to participate in this course especially if you are wondering about AI in the classroom (which, face it, we all are!)

AI Prompts for Teaching - a Google Drive Project

A Word About Capacity

While the world is not on fire (it really isn't) generative AI is disruptive technology. This has the potential of fundamentally changing how our students learn and work, and how and what we teach in higher education. (This has been fundamentally changing - this simply has an undeniable element of urgency attached to it. You are here.)

Still, even while some of our colleagues are already teaching with or teaching in response to AI, we have a capacity problem. As faculty we only have so much time to dedicate to becoming more knowledgeable, let alone proficient, with generative AI. Funding alone isn't going to solve the capacity problem alone. A big question among us is, how do we work within this paradigm when we are already at capacity for our students?

I don't have an answer.

Colleges must do something however, starting with funding and at least some dedicated staffing. Stipends for communities of practice; resident AI expertise on campus including in our learning innovation/e-learning, library and tutoring departments; and ongoing at will and scheduled PD opportunities both on campus and external are a good start.