Written by Lexx Thornton
Norfolk State University’s Writing Center has recently implemented Generative Artificial Intelligence initiatives to provide targeted support to faculty and students as we navigate the fresh challenges that AI poses.
With the rise of AI, universities have experienced an increase in the number of students utilizing the program. “We have noticed an uptick in student usage of AI this semester, and we are finalizing a grant-funded study to investigate how many students on campus are using AI, why they choose to use it instead of campus resources,” says Andrew Burlie, the director of the Writing Center. “We also want to know what we can do as a campus community to foster students’ academic skills while also teaching them how to use these new tools.”
That is why the Writing Center is committed to working with NSU faculty across all departments to reduce instances of GenAI reliance among students.
Here are a few of the initiatives that have taken place:
- Faculty Professional Development: An AI slideshow has been developed for faculty, which was delivered to approximately 20 faculty members at the beginning of the semester. It addresses what AI is, how AI chatbots can be used ethically, and their potential applications in teaching and research. It also included a discussion of considerations when developing university, departmental, and classroom policies.
- Graduate Student Workshop: A presentation for graduate students is being developed to present to the Graduate Student Association. This workshop will introduce AI chatbots, their common uses, how they can be used for editing, and new AI tools to assist with every step of the research process. It will also cover ethical considerations and the limitations of AI as an information source.
- Undergraduate Workshop: A reduced version of the graduate student presentation is also being developed for undergraduates.
- Specialized AI “GPTs”: The center is developing dedicated training “GPTs” on ChatGPT, including a graduate research planning tutor, an academic title development tutor, and a tutor to help break down writing prompts.
