T3 Feb 05 2024

Author

Bron Eager
February 05, 2024

Hello AI Enthusiasts 👋

Welcome to the latest edition of ‘T3’ – AI Tech, Tools & Trends in Higher Education.

In This Edition

Catch up on recent blog posts

In the blog post, I introduce you to Petal and highlight some of its key features to assist you in supercharging your next literature review. Trust me, it’s worth a read :) Use Petal to analyse multiple academic papers, extract key themes across the literature, and write thematic summaries. Petal is changing the game!

I’ve been reading “The Coming Wave" by Mustafa Suleyman and learning about the potential and risks of artificial intelligence in transforming society. Suleyman discusses how AI and synthetic biology will create immense prosperity but also threaten the nation-state and the foundation of global order. It’s heavy stuff, yet presented in an entertaining and easily read format. He argues that these technologies will bring unprecedented wealth and solutions to major problems, but that AI also poses significant risks, such as overbearing surveillance and unprecedented disruption. The book serves as a warning about the potential negative impacts of these technologies and proposes measures to shape their effects.

Weekly AI News Updates

Catch up on the latest AI news in higher education with this selection of curated articles from around the globe.

Washington University in St. Louis has launched its own version of ChatGPT, an AI chatbot, in collaboration with the University Digital Intelligence and Innovation Accelerator and WashU IT.

The university's version of ChatGPT is HIPAA and FERPA protected, meaning sensitive information can be uploaded to it without data harvesting concerns.

While it is similar to OpenAI's ChatGPT, it differs in terms of security and ownership of user data. The project aims to provide equity to the university community by offering a free alternative to students who may be paying for ChatGPT. The university plans to update its ChatGPT to level 4, which requires payment. However, AI integration into the classroom is happening slowly and cautiously. Efforts are being made to educate faculty and students on how to effectively use AI, including live and recorded tutorials.

A study explored the effects of AI on student creativity. The study found that while AI can be a helpful brainstorming tool, it can also have negative effects on students' creative thinking skills and self-confidence. Some highlights from the article include:

  • Students reported both positive and negative effects when using AI to generate ideas.

  • AI was found to be a useful tool for kick-starting brainstorming sessions and generating diverse and detailed ideas.

  • However, some students felt that using AI was "the easy way out" and did not allow them to think on their own.

  • AI-generated ideas were found to be repetitive and lacked originality.

The study emphasizes the importance of developing skills at the start and end of the creative process, as AI currently lacks the capacity for defining problems and refining ideas.

Microsoft has announced several new artificial intelligence (AI) features and tools for education. These enhancements aim to assist educators with curriculum management and personalized lesson creation. The new offerings include:

  • Microsoft Loop, a task-management and teamworking app

  • A professional development course on Microsoft Learn

  • Expanded availability of the Reading Coach tool, which helps educators create literacy lesson plans

  • The AI chatbot Copilot, now available to all faculty and students in higher education

  • Updates to Microsoft Teams for Education, including a feature called Classwork for creating and organizing teaching materials

  • The launch of the AI for Educators Learning Path program on Microsoft Learn, which trains educators on the benefits and uses of AI in instruction

Some organizations, including the University of Hong Kong, the University of Manchester, and GEMS Education in the UAE, have already adopted the Copilot chatbot.

More than half of UK undergraduates are using artificial intelligence (AI) to help with their essays, according to a survey conducted by the Higher Education Policy Institute (Hepi). The survey found that 53% of respondents were using AI to generate material for their work, while one in four were using applications such as Google Bard or ChatGPT to suggest topics. Additionally, 5% admitted to copying and pasting unedited AI-generated text into their assessments. Teachers are also using AI to aid with their lesson planning and workload, with the Education Endowment Foundation (EEF) signing up schools for a research project into the use of AI in creating lesson plans, teaching materials, and exams.

However, there are concerns that students are unaware of the potential inaccuracies and "hallucinations" of AI. Institutions are being called upon to have mature conversations about the appropriate use of AI as a study tool.

The rapid advancement of artificial intelligence (AI) presents opportunities for international development practice, particularly in sectors like education and healthcare. AI-powered systems, such as adaptive learning platforms, can personalize educational content and bridge educational gaps for students in remote or disadvantaged areas. The integration of AI into academia is exemplified by the collaboration between Arizona State University and OpenAI, which promotes the responsible use of AI in education.

It is important for academia to take a multidisciplinary approach, with collaboration between social scientists and engineers, to address the challenges posed by technological advancements.

Collaboration between governments, non-governmental organizations, and the private sector is also crucial in harnessing the full potential of AI in international development. Efforts should be made to ensure the responsible and ethical use of AI, as well as to address the digital divide and make AI-driven educational resources accessible to all. Overall, the integration of AI in international development has the potential to revolutionize problem-solving across various sectors, but a thoughtful and inclusive approach is necessary to ensure equitable and sustainable development.

Generative artificial intelligence (AI) has the potential to transform higher education, but there is a need to separate the hype from reality. Here are some key takeaways:

  • AI has been modestly implemented in education due to its reliance on structured data, which is rare in the sector. However, generative AI, designed for unstructured and natural language data, has great potential in education.

  • Human control is crucial in AI integration to validate and manage risks. Instructors and instructional designers play an irreplaceable role in the education ecosystem.

  • Educators will not be replaced by AI; instead, they will be empowered to enhance the learning experience through the synergy between human and AI.

  • AI can foster innovation by using generative AI-powered tools to stimulate creativity and critical thinking skills.

  • Ethical considerations, data privacy, and responsible use of AI need to be addressed. Educators should actively engage in these conversations.

  • AI can improve assessment practices by unlocking authentic forms of assessment that minimize the efficacy of AI plagiarism and better assess learners for critical thinking skills.

  • Digital literacy is essential in an AI-driven world, and educators play a pivotal role in equipping students with the necessary skills.

  • Educators stand at the forefront of the AI revolution in higher education and should embrace AI as a collaborative tool to enhance and accelerate the learning experience.

Multiversity, an Italian education company, has launched an AI chatbot tool for its digital universities with the help of consulting firm Bain & Company. The GenAI university assistant chatbot tool, developed using OpenAI technology, aims to enhance the learning experience for students by providing real-time study support and insights.

The tool demonstrated over 99% accuracy during testing, and it is expected to become fully operational by September 2024.

This collaboration is made possible through Bain & Company's alliance with OpenAI, which combines business strategy expertise with AI technology. Multiversity is Italy's largest university and education group, and the tool will be used across various learning facilities under its purview. This is not Bain & Company's first venture into developing an AI chatbot, as the consulting giant previously worked with Carrefour to create a customer service chatbot. Several consulting firms, including Bain & Company, have been investing in AI to develop innovative solutions for their clients.

Researchers from Grammarly and the University of Minnesota have introduced a new AI-based text editing system called CoEdIT. CoEdIT is designed to provide writing assistance and features a natural language interface. The system can add, delete, or change words, phrases, and sentences to meet the requirements and limitations of a writing assignment. The researchers found that CoEdIT performs well on various text editing benchmarks, demonstrating state-of-the-art performance on tasks such as paraphrasing, neutralization, formality style transfer, grammatical error correction, and text simplification. The system also demonstrates the ability to generalize and make modifications based on unseen, adjacent, and composite instructions. The researchers hope that CoEdIT can help authors improve the quality of their writing and make the text rewriting process more efficient.

B.Store

A curated selection of books that shaped my AI learning journey.

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Take care and chat soon,

Bron