What about AI? - Ranger College Library at Ranger College

I think AI can be a bit overwhelming. That is why I started this blog. I also think I have pretty average tech skills. The parts I know, I know really well, but mostly I know what can be done, not necessarily how to do it. I am also really good at watching YouTube tutorials. A lot of us fall into that category.

Well, AI is another tool in that toolbox. The general, generative AIs, like Gemini or ChatGPT, are super easy to use and the responses are almost conversational. When you are struggling to get Google to understand what you are asking for, try an AI. Small bites are always good. Instead of doing a bunch of research for my Heritage Trail windows, I asked it to name two fun things to do in every county in the Pecos Trail region. It did exactly that. If you want to know what they were, read VP Arca's weekly newsletter for my More than Just Books articles.

These little things are a great way to familiarize yourself with using AI and learning all the ways they can help, without making you feel like you are cheating.

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Pi AI

Today we are going to talk about Pi Ai. Pi is a free conversational AI. It is a terrific tool for troubleshooting, brainstorming, or preparing for a conversation you are not sure how to proceed it. Think about how many of our students need help practicing for job interviews. I played with it a little bit. For the most part, I liked it and I can see how the process works. You can load the Call Pi app in iOS or Android and speak directly with the Pi. Just ask it a question and it answers. As a test drive, I asked it to ask me five questions common in a job interview for a librarian at a community college and evaluate the answers. It immediately started listing all five questions so I told it to stop. You actually have to push a button to interrupt. Then I told it to ask a question, wait for an answer, evaluate and comment on that answer, and then move on to the next question. It did exactly that. The responses were great. I answered questions like I might answer them in an interview. It basically said that was great but you could also include, x, y, and z. It was right.When you are finished with your conversation, a transcript is right on the screen so if you did get helpful advice you can remember it. I can see how this would be really helpful. Some of the things it does that are advertised on the log in page are journal keeping, making plans, planning a vacation, reading stories, or learning new things. It is definitely worth your time to explore it....

Return of the blue book?

I have read several articles lately that discuss returning to the blue book as a means of keeping students from cheating on tests. That is one option, and it may not be a bad one under certain circumstances.If work is done in the classroom with no devices the students have to demonstrate their knowledge. Of course, that would mean you can’t use class time for teaching, so there is definitely a sacrifice if that is the route you choose to go. Why not turn it around? Instead of homework, their hours outside the classroom are spent preparing for the upcoming class. We know they are not doing this now, but once in-class performance and grades are tied to it in a very tangible way, it may improve.Another option is to provide specific guidance in the use of AI, even requiring a specific AI program and identifying which things they are allowed to ask for from it. Require them to include their prompts as part of the assignment. You will have to test the assignments yourself to know what responses they are likely to get from the different AIs so you can pick the right option.Neither of these options reduce your workload, but they both increase student knowledge. The second prepares them for the future where AI is a routine thing....

Homogeneity and AI Tutoring

Still referring to the Chronicle of Higher Education article, The Student Brain on AI, there is one other thing to consider. Researchers say that one of the most significant — and troubling — findings to them was that the essays written with the aid of ChatGPT showed a greater degree of homogeneity.” Being able to regurgitate facts is not really a goal of higher education. We want to teach them to think. That involves looking at issues from various points of view and developing opinions. You could always include as part of your assignment that they have to provide a statement of stance.One thing we have to consider is that people will always opt for convenience, especially under stress. Most students think they are under stress (just wait until they face the real world, right?) Even professors take short cuts. The problem isn’t really AI, it is the wrong use of AI. That is what this blog is all about – finding good uses for AI. You could consider an AI Tutor, like Tutor AI. As a teacher, you can create a course around your own content and the AI provides the tools students need to understand the assignment. The AI program can create flashcards, tutorials, exercises, and more. It is probably worth a few minutes of your time to see what it can do....

New technology and social panic

There was a lot of great information in last week’s Chronicle of Higher Education article called The Student Brain on AI. One important point it makes is that change is hard.“New technology has always brought with it social panic. Commentators argued that the telephone would be ruinous to families because women would spend more time gossiping.”And another one: “When the internet and search engines began to be an integral part of life, people worried about their effect on our memory and intelligence. As a viral 2008 article put it, “Is Google Making Us Stupid?” “ Well, I will give that one a little credit. Google has ruined our ability to identify false or bad information. Then again, information literacy is a topic that can be taught.One important facet was explained by Derek Bruff, associate director of the Center for Teaching Excellence at the University of Virginia, wrote about the MIT study. “When we ask students to do things that are neither interesting nor relevant to their personal or professional lives, they look for shortcuts.” That has always been true. Today the tool is different....

Small bites

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