President's Blog: From the Heart

By Eric F. Spina

Will ChatGPT lead to the demise of original thinking, or will it make University of Dayton students better thinkers?

“I’ve been studying how we learn — from Socrates and Plato to Humboldt to Dewey and others — and have been engaged in machine learning. I was ready for it. I see ChatGPT as the biggest force for equity in education,” said Professor Kevin Hallinan, who has incorporated AI tools into his mechanical and aerospace engineering courses.

Dr. Hallinan was part of a panel of educators at the fall Board of Trustees meeting, where we learned how early adopters of the technology are using it in their courses and grappling with ethical issues.  We were treated to a lively, eye-opening discussion about how AI tools are reshaping higher education — from course design and delivery to grading exams. The learning curve across higher education may feel steep, but UD is working toward providing tools and support.

To help faculty and students, UDit will soon roll out a common campus-wide platform and productivity tools. An AI oversight committee is developing “Dos and Don’ts” guidelines, and the Center for Online Learning is offering sessions on strategies for supporting learning and teaching with AI.

Provost Darlene Weaver has stated that UD must ultimately prepare our students to work productively and ethically in a world where knowledge of and ability to apply AI will be critical for successful professionals.

“Our students’ critical thinking and problem-solving skills are not at odds with incorporating AI into our curriculum. We want our graduates to be AI-ready and AI-proficient,” Dr. Weaver told trustees.

Dr. Hallinan asks his students to design products or services using AI, and he sits one-on-one with them to prompt their creativity and innovative spirit. One student designed a speech-to-text-to-speech device for her uncle with a speech impairment. Another developed a golf swing analyzer and trainer.

Professor Li-Yin Liu of the Political Science Department has created a customized version of ChatGPT that provides her public administration graduate students with specific policies and information about targeted populations.

“Students then write a policy narrative aimed at persuading the designated population to accept the policy. They input their narrative into ChatGPT, which role-plays as the targeted population and offers feedback on the effectiveness of their persuasive efforts,” she said, noting that the exercise causes students to improve their policies.

“What makes us different from other universities is that we advance the common good,” Dr. Liu told the board. “How do we help students figure out their role in safeguarding the public interest when AI is involved?”

In the Center for Online Learning, faculty are learning how to use AI to plan courses, draft course syllabi, design assessments, set boundaries for its use to deter cheating, and achieve learning outcomes.

“This is now a core skill that students will need to demonstrate,” Ryan Allen, executive director of online learning, told trustees.

AI is changing how faculty teach and students learn, much like the advent of calculators and personal computers transformed pedagogy. At UD, where relationships between faculty and students are prized, we aim to use this technology to deepen those connections as we create meaningful learning experiences.