This presentation acknowledges the profound impact of AI on academia and attempts to put forward several possible approaches to using AI in College History courses. Subjects to be explored include possible assignments college level History instructors can use to incorporate AI into their curriculum and enable students to be active learners. The first idea for an AI-related assignment revolves around having AI assist students to structure an essay, which they would then use as a basis to build a paper using their own words and evidence. This approach may remedy the poor overall structure often seen in undergraduate papers and ensures students stick to a coherent narrative. Another assignment includes having students interview an AI chat interface programmed to act as if it were an historic figure (i.e. input into an AI machine, “please act like Teddy Roosevelt when you answer my questions... Teddy, what are your thoughts on the second amendment controversy?”). The students could then analyze and compare the AI interview with what we know about this historic figure, thereby investigating AI accuracy as it relates to verifiable historical data. Finally, there will be consideration of an assignment asking students to utilize AI to critique an analysis they wrote during an in-class writing exercise. This can supplement an in-class assignment and turn the AI technology into a teaching aid. Consideration will be given to how working with existing AI technology can be utilized as a tool for increasing student success in the classroom. The session will include a brainstorming session at the end to come up with other ways to effectively utilize the technology. Attendees will walk away with potential AI assignment ideas to try in their History courses.
See more of: AHA Sessions