The Academic Integrity Community of Practice Speaker Series is set to begin again this Fall. Our first speaker Dr. Ken McKay from the University of Waterloo, will join us on Teams on October 1, 2024 from 9:30 to 11 a.m.
Dr. McKay's presentation, Vaccinating Courses and Boosting Learning with AI Multivitamins will draw on the concept of vaccination. The session will explore strategies to safeguard courses and students against the potential pitfalls of Artificial intelligence (AI)-generated content. The focus is on using methods that allow students to demonstrate their mastery of the course material, not AI’s mastery of the material.
In addition, the session will delve into the metaphor of multivitamins, discovering ways to harness the power of AI tools as supplements that enrich the learning journey. Discussions will revolve around utilizing AI tools ethically to provide better feedback, facilitate adaptive learning, and unlock new areas of exploration and creativity.
Professor McKay will draw on decades of experience in AI, cognitive learning, and instructional innovation to provide practical suggestions on how to lean into AI and deal with the inevitable.
To join this session or to find out more information please contact Jennie Miron at jennie.miron@humber.ca
Who is Dr. McKay?
Professor Kenneth McKay is the Teaching and Learning Champion for the Department of Management Science and Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, University of Waterloo. He conducts multi- and inter-disciplinary research incorporating disciplines such as Artificial Intelligence and Organizational Psychology. His current pedagogical research includes topics like how to improve TA grading of qualitative assessments, the use of genAI to assist TAs, and grading practices for ‘critical thinking’ courses such as design studios, capstone projects, and final thesis. He has supervised doctoral work on introducing new delivery and assessment methods in courses.
For several decades he has been developing methods to assess students’ mastery of material beyond ‘memorization’, taking into account open access to material. He has used these methods in Faculties of Business Administration and Engineering, and in quantitative and qualitative-based courses ranging from first year, through senior undergraduate, to graduate level.
Recently, he led a collaborative team to create an online teaching resource with notes on over 150 topics: Science and Practice of Teaching. In 2020, he also led an effort to create a resource to help students transition to post-secondary education, and improve learning: Owner’s Manual For The Student Brain.
Dr. McKay suggests looking through this exercise before we meet on October 1.
Try these prompts several times in a few different AI engines:
- What should people know about the limitations of genAI, what can it do concerning our critical thinking, and actual understanding of what it is generated
- What can I do as an instructor to design my course content and assessments to be genAI proof, to avoid students being able to use genAI as a demonstration of their true mastery of the subject
- How can I use genAI to help teach critical thinking in a course (give examples)
- What prompts can I show students that will result in bias, hallucinations, incomplete and partial answers (give examples of each)
What other ‘useful’ prompts are there? Bring them to the session and share!
