The IDAT Services team helped provide a Generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) Professional Development Community this Fall semester. Paul Keys from IDAT, StrongPoints Director Emily Caldwell, and Reference Librarian Jake Vacarro facilitated the PDC over five sessions held every two weeks, both in person on campus and virtually via Zoom.
Over 15 faculty and staff signed up and participated in at least one session, representing departments from across campus, including Marketing, Institutional Advancement, the Dietetic Internship program, the Schools/Departments of Nursing, Business, World Languages and Culture, Fashion Merchandising, Exercise & Sports Science and Social Work. In addition to sharing our uses of AI in our jobs and classes, topics included:
- Using Generative AI to increase productivity. Emily, one of the more seasoned AI users on campus, showed off some of her “treasure trove” of Gen AI hacks, tips, and tricks, and Charles Bowden from IDAT joined to demonstrate Zoom’s new AI Companion.
- Using AI tools for research: Jake demonstrated and led the group in hands-on sessions using tools including Elicit, Scite.ai, and Scopus AI.
- Creating tutors and chatbots with custom GPTs: Paul demonstrated how to create Custom GPTs within ChatGPT 4o. These custom GPTs can be made available to any user of the free ChatGPT 3.5 via the GPT store. Paul demonstrated creating an AI Tutor for classes and chatbots for campus department use.
- Discussion on academic integrity and AI: Discussed tools and strategies other than AI checkers like Turnitin’s to make courses AI resilient.
We plan to have another PDC in the Spring, focusing on creating specific assignments that use AI and/or are AI-resilient. We also plan to involve students to get their take on their excitement and trepidation about this new technology.
For more information, contact Paul Keys in IDAT Services.