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As part of a longitudinal study into student perspectives of Generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI), Learning Technologists Richard Byles and Kelly Lea, along with Head of Learning Technology Rob Howe, have published the results of their second student survey, launched in February 2024.
This 2024 report reveals a significant shift in the role of GenAI in students’ academic lives and their changing motivations to engage with these technologies. Notably, the survey highlights a marked increase in student use of GenAI since the 2023 survey with distinct differences in usage and views between UK and international students.
Key findings indicate a growing awareness among students about both the benefits and limitations of GenAI. Many students appreciate its ability to assist with summarising content, generating ideas, and editing text. However, they are increasingly questioning where data is gathered from and its reliability. Students remain ethically aware and want to ensure academic integrity when using these tools.
The full report can be viewed below.
Report Link (PDF): Exploring Student Perspectives of Generative Artificial Intelligence Tools at the university of Northampton: A survey-Based Study
R Byles, K Lea, R Howe
The following report provides an overview of the findings of the Generative AI Staff Survey which was available to all staff at UON from the 12th of Feb to 12th of April 2024.
The purpose of the survey is to explore staff understanding and use of Generative Artificial Intelligence tools, and their impact on staff roles at UON.
Author: R Howe. Researchers: K Lea, R Byles.
Catch up with the latest news, case studies, and other interesting stories from the Learning Technology Team.
Download the Learning Technology Team Newsletter – Semester 2, 2023/24 (PDF, 560 KB)
With an overload of information and such dichotomous opinions about Artificial Intelligence (AI), it is difficult to know where to begin; especially if you are yet to experience using AI at all. One starting point is to find out where you are with your own knowledge and the Jisc discovery tool can assist with this.
The discovery tool, which was introduced to UON in 2020, is a developmental tool that students and staff can use to self-assess their digital capabilities, identify their strengths, and highlight opportunities to develop skills. The tool has been recently updated to include a question set for both staff and students on their capability and proficiency with AI and generative AI tools.
The question sets for students and staff have been developed with assistance from Jisc and aligns with the latest AI advice and AI guiding principles developed by Jisc and the Russell Group on the responsible and equitable use of AI to enhance learning and teaching.
How the discovery tool helps students and teachers
The new question sets provide users with a basis to self-assess their skills and knowledge of what AI is and how it could, or should, be used in the context of their studies or role.
Once users complete the question set, they can then access a personalised report with a confidence rating which will vary from ‘developing’ through ‘capable’ to ‘proficient’ depending on their experience. The report also provides recommendations and courses on how to advance knowledge around AI.
Users can repeat any of the discovery tool’s question sets at any point and therefore keep a dynamic view of their confidence levels.
Where can I access the tool?
Click here to log straight into the discovery tool and the AI question set, or copy and paste the link below into your address bar.
How can I Support Students?
To assist students in enhancing their digital skills and their knowledge and understanding of AI, we have put together a student guide which can be found here. It may also be helpful to add a link to this guide, or to the discovery tool itself, within NILE courses.
What if I would like to know more?
For more information about how to use the discovery tool, see: https://digitalcapability.jisc.ac.uk/resources-and-community/discovery-tool-guidance/staff/
For further information about the AI design assistant in NILE or Padlet’s new AI features, please get in touch with your Learning Technologist.
Helpful links
The new features in Blackboard’s April upgrade will be available on Friday 5th April. This month’s upgrade includes the following new/improved features to Ultra courses:
- Anonymous discussions
- AI Design Assistant: Select course items/context picker enhancements
- Duplicate test/form question option, plus changes to default test question value
- Likert form questions includes options for 4 and 6, as well as 3, 5, and 7
Anonymous discussions
Following feedback from staff, April’s upgrade will allow staff to set up Ultra discussions to allow students to post and reply to posts anonymously. After the upgrade, the option to allow anonymous responses and replied will be available in the ‘Discussion Settings’ panel.
Please note that selecting ‘Allow anonymous responses and replies’ does not mean that all replies and reponses will be anonymous; rather it means that students and staff can choose to post anonymously if they want to. To post anonymously, the ‘Post anonymously’ checkbox will need to be selected. Once posted, the anonymity of a post cannot be changed – i.e., an anonymous post cannot be de-anonymised by the person who posted it, and a non-anonymous post cannot be changed to anonymous.
AI Design Assistant: Select course items/context picker enhancements
Following last month’s upgrade which introduced the context picker (the ‘Select course items’ tool) for auto-generated test questions, April’s upgrade introduces the option to select course items when auto-generating learning modules, assignments, and discussion and journal prompts.
The purpose of the ‘Select course items’ tool is to allow staff to specify exactly which resources should be used when auto-generating content. If ‘Select course items’ is used, the auto-generated content will be based only upon the items selected. Where no course items are selected, auto-generated content will be based upon the course title.
You can find out more about the AI Design Assistant and how to use it it at: Learning Technology Team: AI Design Assistant
Duplicate test/form question option, plus change to default test question value
The April upgrade introduces the ability for staff to duplicate test and form questions. Additionally, following the upgrade the default point value for newly created test questions will be changed from 10 points to 1 point.
Likert form questions includes options for 4 and 6, as well as 3, 5, and 7
The February 2024 upgrade introduced the ‘Forms’ tool to Ultra courses. One of the question types available in forms is a Likert question; however, the original release only included options for staff to select Likert scales with 3, 5, or 7 points. April’s upgrade will add options to choose scales with 4 or 6 points.
More information
As ever, please get in touch with your learning technologist if you would like any more information about the new features available in this month’s upgrade: Who is my learning technologist?
In this short video UON Learning Development tutor Anne-Marie Langford discusses her work employing generative AI to produce sample passages of academic writing for analysis and refinement in development workshops.
Anne-Marie notes that the use of AI-generated text can prompt students to critique academic writing, encouraging them to develop higher order thinking skills. This proves particularly valuable in scrutinising shortcomings in generative AI-generated text which can prove useful in identifying and presenting knowledge but are less adept and applying, analysing and evaluating it.
While recognising the time-saving potential of chatbots such as ChatGPT and their uses in enhancing student learning, she underscores the limitations of GAI in academic writing and referencing. Anne-Marie emphasises the importance of students adopting a critical, ethical and well-informed approach to using generative AI, urging them to cultivate their own critical voices and refine their skills.
By incorporating text from generative tools into her sessions, Anne-Marie exemplifies the advantages of modelling critical use of generative AI with students.
In this condensed talk from the Vulcan Sessions on 26/01/24, Senior Lecturer in Education David Meechan discusses the opportunities and considerations of using AI in education.
Introducing the concept of Generative Artificial Intelligence (GAI) as a diverse and constantly evolving field without a consistent definition among scholars. He shares personal examples of how GAI can help support students by scaffolding their learning and reducing the initial cognitive load through the creation of basic first drafts.
David expresses, ‘I’m a big believer in experiential learning, providing children, and now students, with experiences they can build on.’ Therefore, he advocates for the use of GenAI tools, which offer ‘varied, specific, and potentially creative results, revolutionising education and supporting lifelong learning.’
Emphasising the importance of the ethical use AI tools in education, he argues for engagement with a wide range of GenAI tools to prepare students for navigating future changes in the education and technological landscape.
In this short film Jane Mills delves into the realm of text-to-image Generative AI models, experimenting with platforms such as Stable Diffusion and Midjourney. Initially encountering what she described as “odd and distorted” images, she highlights the evolving landscape of Generative AI images during this period.
“In 2023 the images started to look better,” Jane explains, noting a significant breakthrough as these AI models began capturing intricate details, showcasing her expertise as a fashion specialist, particularly in facial features, colour pallets, fabric textures and embellishments.
By May 2023, AI integration became a reality in the discipline of Fashion teaching. Jane champions the fusion of human creativity with machine efficiency, enabling designers to conceptualise runway shots, intricate patterns, and expressive collages.
Highlighting the importance of designing detailed prompts, Jane illustrates how specifying techniques, mediums, and styles could lead to incredible results, ranging from watercolor cityscapes to photorealistic textures.
Generative AI serves as a powerful tool that provides fresh perspectives, preparing students for the ever-evolving fashion industry. This approach facilitates faster design processes, hones skills, and meets industry demands.
“It’s an assistive tool, a collaborator that empowers human imagination. As students gain valuable experience using this transformative technology, they’re not just designing the future of fashion; they’re shaping the way we think about its creation,” she emphasised.
In this short film, Theatre Director Matt Bond delves into the intricacies of his pioneering theater experiment, “PlayAI,” a collaborative venture with the AI tool ChatGPT.
Building on the success of his groundbreaking work at Riverside Studios in London in April 2023, this project challenges the traditional boundaries of playwriting by immersing itself in the realms of exploration and experimentation with Artificial Intelligence.
Over a transformative four-week period, Bond collaboratively engaged with UON BA Acting students to craft a new play that delves into profound themes. These themes encompass the nuanced emotions surrounding redundancy and belonging in the age of Artificial Intelligence, the complexities of forging relationships with digital avatars, and the conflicting dynamics between idealism and capitalism within a futuristic digital ‘metaverse’ society.
The film provides valuable insights as four BA acting students share their perspectives on how they have embraced AI technology as a powerful catalyst for innovation and exploration.
Moreover, the impact of the project transcends the realm of performance. It becomes evident that the students, in their exploration of key AI concepts, have not only expanded their digital literacies but have also delved into the ethical boundaries of AI. Their involvement reflects a meticulous and comprehensive approach to working with AI, showcasing a profound commitment to understanding and navigating the intricate facets of this transformative technology.
The new features in Blackboard’s January upgrade will be available between Friday 5th and Monday 8th January. The January upgrade includes the following new/improved features to Ultra courses:
- AI Design Assistant: Authentic assessment prompt generation
- AI Design Assistant: Generate rubric Improvements
- Total & weighted calculations in the Ultra gradebook
AI Design Assistant: Authentic assessment prompt generation
Currently, staff are able to auto-generate prompts for Ultra discussions and journals. The January upgrade will add the ability to auto-generate prompts for Ultra assignments too. Following the upgrade, when setting up an Ultra assignment, staff will see the ‘Auto-generate assignment’ option in the top right-hand corner of the screen.
Selecting ‘Auto-generate assignment’ will generate three prompts which staff can refine by adding additional context in description field, selecting the desired cognitive level and complexity, and then re-generating the prompts.
Once selected and added, the prompt can then be manually edited by staff prior to releasing the assignment to students.
AI Design Assistant: Generate rubric Improvements
Following feedback from users, the January upgrade will improve auto-generated rubrics. The initial version of the AI Design Assistant’s auto-generated rubrics did not handle column and row labels properly, and this will be improved in the January upgrade. Also improved in the January upgrade will be the distribution of percentages/points across the criteria, which were inconsistently applied in the initial release.
Total & weighted calculations in the Ultra gradebook
The Ultra gradebook currently allows for the creation of calculated columns using the ‘Add Calculation’ feature. However, the functionality of these calculated columns makes the creation of weighted calculations difficult, e.g., when generating the total score for two pieces of work where one is worth 60% of the mark and the other 40%. At present, this would have to be done in a calculated column by using the formula AS1 x 0.6 + AS2 x 0.4, like so:
However, weighting problems can be further compounded if the pieces of work are not all out of 100 points, which can often be the case when using computer-marked tests. Following feedback about this issue, the January upgrade will bring in an ‘Add Total Calculation’ option, which will allow staff to more easily generate an overall score for assessments with multiple sub-components. The new ‘Add Total Calculation’ column will simply require staff to choose the assessments which are to be used in the calculation, and specify how they are to be weighted. Using the same example as above, the calculation would look like so:
More information
To find out more about all of the AI Design Assistant tools available in NILE, full guidance is available at: Learning Technology – AI Design Assistant
And as ever, please get in touch with your learning technologist if you would like any more information about the new features available in this month’s upgrade: Who is my learning technologist?
