While we can’t control the proliferation of AI, how we respond is up to us. Join us on February 24 for this half-day of microsessions that support a thoughtful approach to navigating AI in your classes. The morning features 30-minute sessions on how to strategically engage your students with your course AI policy and small changes you can apply to your assignment directions to make your AI policy transparent to your students. Over lunch, we will hear from our UMass instructors on how they —with careful consideration— embedded the use of AI in their courses. We will close the half-day with a session facilitated by Dan Cannity from the Instructional Media Lab about building a chatbot for your course. Location: 600 W.E.B. Du Bois Library (6th floor). Join for any and all sessions!
| 11:10 - 11:45 am | Engaging Students with Your AI Course Policy Facilitated by Kirsten Helmer (CTL) |
| 11:50 am - 12:25 pm | Writing Assignment Expectations for AI Use Facilitated by Sara Cavallo (CTL) |
| 12:30 - 1:35 pm | How Do We (and Can We) Stimulate Thinking with AI? [Roundtable Discussion and Lunch] Guests: Luke Bloomfield (Resource Economics) and Julia Feldhaus (Languages, Literatures, and Cultures) Facilitated by Brian Baldi and Katie Ingraham Dixie (CTL) |
| 1:40 - 2:15 pm | AI Agents in Practice Facilitated by Dan Cannity (IT) |
Session 1: Engaging Students with Your AI Course Policy
Facilitated by Kirsten Helmer (CTL)
Your syllabus states your AI policy, but are your students truly engaged with it? We'll discuss approaches for opening dialogue with students about AI use, addressing the "why" behind your policy choices, and how to make AI expectations a dynamic, ongoing part of your course.
Session 2: Writing Assignment Expectations for AI Use
Facilitated by Sara Cavallo (CTL)
Transparent assignment instructions can support students as they encounter varying AI policies across their course schedule. In this session, we will discuss how to write clear assignment guidelines that connect your assessment goals with your AI policy using evidence-based transparent design principles.
Session 3: How Do We (and Can We) Stimulate Thinking with AI? [Roundtable Discussion and Lunch]
Guests: Luke Bloomfield (Resource Economics) and Julia Feldhaus (Languages, Literatures, and Cultures)
Facilitated by Brian Baldi & Katie Ingraham Dixie (CTL)
Hear two UMass faculty members with differing approaches for engaging students with AI: embracing AI as a practice-partner or using it critically to help students develop their own thinking. You'll also have a chance to reflect on how their approaches can inform your own courses.
Session 4: AI Agents in Practice
Facilitated by Dan Cannity (IT)
AI agents have the capacity to support instructional experiences by providing custom tutors and course assistants to students and instructors. This session will introduce 2 AI agents built in the UMass GenAI Platform, and some brief instructions on how you can explore creating your own with a safe and secure environment.