The Positive Power of Generative AI: Using AI for “Good” In Statistics Classrooms
Monday, Aug 5: 10:30 AM - 12:20 PM
1443
Invited Paper Session
Oregon Convention Center
Room: CC-B112
Artificial intelligence (AI) is everywhere and is constantly evolving. With the sudden deployment of and proliferation of generative AI – e.g., ChatGPT – educators are realizing a need to both assess how AI can be used to support student learning and to consider how it impacts academic integrity and students' ability to think independently. Throughout history, statistics educators have constantly adapted instruction to include new tools and techniques, but adapting to the presence of generative AI may feel especially daunting given its newness, potential "nefarious" use (e.g., concerns about academic integrity) and that AI generated content can be biased and inaccurate. This session will focus on the potential positive power of generative AI in a statistics and data science curriculum and how we may best leverage its use in the classroom. Through these talks we will illustrate how AI has the potential to enhance the teaching and learning experience by providing personalized learning, automating administrative tasks, and improving student outcomes in statistics and data science classrooms.
Applied
Yes
Main Sponsor
Section on Teaching of Statistics in the Health Sciences
Co Sponsors
Section on Statistics and Data Science Education
Presentations
Surveying and monitoring how students are utilizing AI tools in their coursework is a critical step in effectively integrating these tools into the classroom and enhancing the learning experience. By gathering data on students' interactions and preferences, educators can gain valuable insights into which AI features are most beneficial and how they impact student performance. This information can inform curriculum design and help tailor AI-driven content to meet the specific needs and learning styles of the students. Additionally, monitoring student engagement with AI tools allows for the identification of potential challenges or areas where additional support may be required, ensuring a more seamless and productive integration of AI into the educational environment.
Instructors often face the challenge of catering to varying technical backgrounds and learning paces of students. Classwise is a learning management system developed by Dr. Jon Reifschneider that incorporates AI to personalize student learning. Classwise offers a range of AI features to benefit both instructors and students, including a chatbot to summarize materials and check students' conceptual understanding. Instructors can then monitor student progress and use AI to develop assessments and other teaching materials.
This talk will discuss how large language models (LLMs) like ChatGPT have been integrated into statistical programming courses to help students get started on tasks, come up with ideas for descriptive analyses, and debug programs. The inclusion of LLMs required the rethinking of traditional assessments used in the course which has led to assignments that require more critical thinking and reflection. Successes and mistakes from these changes will be discussed.
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