Ole Miss Faculty Spearheads AI Use in Classroom
In academia, the burgeoning trend is a shift towards AI utilization across different disciplines. A notable champion of this movement happens to be the faculty at the University of Mississippi (Ole Miss), who have taken the lead in promoting the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) as a practical tool to enhance the learning experience. Strikingly, there is no official policy at the university that outlines the use of this cutting-edge technology, leaving it up to professors to decide whether and how AI can be incorporated in student assignments.
Embracing AI in the Classroom
Standing at the forefront of this approach is Professor Brad Conaway, who teaches social media and digital marketing classes at Ole Miss’ School of Journalism and New Media. Conaway harnesses the potential of AI and encourages its application in real-world contexts for his students.
“I want you to be able to take an idea, get that text from AI, and convert it to something that people want to actually read that sounds like what a human can do,” Conaway expressed his vision.
AI Tools for Real-World Application
AI tools such as ChatGPT and text-to-video translators have penetrated the growing communication fields. Conaway aims to prepare his students to operate with such tools efficiently in their future careers. However, the outlook on AI adoption appears to vary among Ole Miss’ faculty.
Notably, Ole Miss’ student Campbell Holmes confirmed, “I don’t think I’ve ever had a professor be like, ‘You can use it.’” She further adds, “It’s definitely in the syllabus – no AI, none of that.”
Embracing Changing Roles with AI
An Educause survey underlines the changing roles brought on by AI in educational institutions. A substantial number of employees at universities now carry new responsibilities tied to AI. The most impacted include executives (69 percent), staff members (46 percent), and faculty (39 percent).
Workshops for AI Inclusion
Despite this wide range, Ole Miss has been proactive in encouraging the faculty to get more comfortable with AI technology, evident from a series of AI workshops they offered in January. These informative sessions are designed to help staff incorporate generative AI into their courses.
Leading this AI-Forward charge, Professor Conaway stands firm on his beliefs. He is passionate about equipping his students with the skills to employ AI tools to enrich their work. Conaway expressed his positivity towards AI utilization, stating, “When you think about the creativity that can go into the prompt and how that actually shows up, that’s where the magic is.”
