AI Systems in Higher Education
AI like ChatGPT is here to stay. It will only get more powerful. Students will use it. Although there are concerns, we believe that embracing AI could present exciting opportunities to rethink and reimagine our approach to TLA at SU so that we can equip our graduates with the necessary skills to work responsibly with AI. - DLTE@SU, January 2023
Artificial Intelligence (AI) at Stellenbosch University
Artificial intelligence (AI) is technology that enables computers and machines to simulate human learning, comprehension, problem solving, decision making, creativity and autonomy. (IBM.2024. What is artificial intelligence (AI)?)
Stellenbosch University is pleased to announce the launch of the StellenboschX: AI in Higher Education course series, available on edX.
As Artificial Intelligence (AI) reshapes various industries, its impact on Higher Education (HE) is undeniably significant. With the proliferation of AI tools, such as those developed by OpenAI, understanding how to navigate this rapidly advancing field is crucial for HE educators. Responses to AI within education range from caution to full acceptance and integration.
That's where this 4-course professional certificate series comes into play. Watch this video for an overview of what you can expect from the course:
Designed by Stellenbosch University's Division for Learning and Teaching Enhancement, this series is tailored for HE practitioners including teaching academics and professional academic support staff. Through this fully online offering, you'll gain insights into the evolving landscape of AI in education, learn to critically evaluate the relationship between machines and humans, and discern what is practical from mere hype.
The short course Artificial Intelligence (AI) in teaching-learning-assessment (TLA) offers participants the opportunity to reimagine their TLA in the age of easily accessible generative AI tools. It addresses questions such as: How can we redefine our teaching role? How can we preserve the productive struggle in our learning opportunities? Are our assessment opportunities AI-resilient?
Interested in participating?
- Read more about the AI short course
- Indicate your interest on this MS Form or email Hanelie Adendorff.
Resources
ChatGPT and AI in Higher Education Teaching-Learning-Assessment
AI like ChatGPT is here to stay. It will only get more powerful. Students will use it. Embracing AI presents exciting opportunities to rethink and reimagine TLA at SU.
What is ChatGPT?
ChatGPT is an easy-to-use AI chatbot that can ‘read’ and ‘answer’ posed questions and prompts in natural, written language. It can also produce code, essays, poems, and stories, or solve problems in code and identify faults in calculations.
Why Take Note?
The use of AI technologies like ChatGPT impacts TLA practices for both students and lecturers. Given that this will become a part of our students’ future careers and everyday lives, it may not be sensible to prohibit its use outright. Instead, this offers an opportunity to cultivate student responsibility by, for example, adapting TLA outcomes to call for more engagement in process-orientated formative assessments.
How Can We Respond?
As a leading HE institution and trusted knowledge partner, the most responsible response is to alter and adapt our TLA practices to account for the advances in AI technology and its future applications. We motivate, therefore, that there are ways of embracing AI for the future of TLA at SU.
More Details
For information, please consult the ChatGPT and AI in Higher Education Teaching-Learning-Assessment discussion document.
For TLA support, please contact:
- The CLT advisors for guidance on meaningfully incorporating learning technologies in your TLA practices.
- Your faculty’s CTL advisor for rethinking TLA strategies to enhance student learning and uphold academic integrity.
- Your faculty librarian.
Discussion Series
Podcasts
SU Short Course: AI Literacy in HE TLA
For more information, read here.
An introduction to AI in Teaching-Learning-Assessment
Video created by Dr Jan Petrus Bosman, Centre for Learning Technologies
Podcast created by Dr Jan Petrus Bosman, Centre for Learning Technologies
A Whole New World
Bridging the gap between critical digital pedagogies and the (new) automated virtual teaching and learning environment
Seminar presented by Dr Sonja Strydom, Centre for Learning Technologies
Much has been written about the Fourth Industrial Revolution, automation and 21st-century skills. These narratives have also found their way into the higher education domain. Globally, it is expected of higher education institutions to be forward-thinking and embrace new technological advancements, such as artificial intelligence and machine learning.
This seminar will emphasise the importance of critically considering these two worlds, which ask of us to respond to the unique contextual needs of students in different institutions while, simultaneously, developing a deeper understanding of the opportunities and impact that automation and, specifically, artificial intelligence in education can offer. The seminar serves as a first step in raising awareness and opening the discussion about these important components and about how we, as lecturers and professional administrative support services staff, can continue to respond to this within Stellenbosch University and the broader higher education learning environment.
AI Friend or Foe for Education and Research
Introduction to AI, Friend or Foe. Opportunities and Risks of AI in Education and Research.
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