Integrate AI Guidelines into Your Class Syllabus: Essential Tips for This Year

It’s quite possible that THIS upcoming school year IS the year we see the greatest use of AI in our classrooms. As such, finding a way to integrate AI Guidelines into your class syllabus will be more important than ever! Below are some essential tips for this year as you prepare your classroom for AI integration.

The Emergence of AI

Artificial Intelligence (AI) emerged on the scene in 2023 and has done nothing but grow exponentially; both in awareness and in use. With that, of course, comes the discovery of AI by students. AI’s presence on our classrooms is becoming more and more a reality and is something we certainly can’t bury our heads in the sand to avoid.

Let’s be honest, students have discovered AND are likely using AI in many ways that we don’t realize. Efforts to take short cuts on school work are nothing new. Students have had access to Google search engines for a long time now to help them find information. Using AI as a support is a natural progression. The fear is, however, that students will become overly reliant on AI tools and will not develop the skills they need to be successful.

Developing Guidelines

With the knowledge that AI is omnipresent, it’s time to develop and integrate AI guidelines into your class syllabus. These expectations are IMPORTANT for our students. I recommend starting at the beginning of the year addressing this head on. Below is a hand-out that you can use to have the AI conversation with your students so they understand what is considered acceptable use and what is not.

Ideas for Developing AI Guidelines for Your Syllabus

Creating AI guidelines for your syllabus involves several steps, from understanding the basics of AI to integrating specific tools and ethical considerations. Here are some essential tips to get started.

Start with the Basics

Before diving into complex AI topics, ensure that your students have a solid understanding of the basics. This includes fundamental concepts such as machine learning, neural networks, and data science. Providing a foundational knowledge base will make it easier for students to grasp more advanced topics later on.

Incorporate AI Tools and Resources

Identify AI tools and resources that are relevant to your subject matter. This could include software for data analysis, AI-powered tutoring systems, or platforms that use machine learning to enhance learning experiences. Integrate these tools into your syllabus and provide students with hands-on opportunities to explore them.

Emphasize Ethical Considerations

AI comes with significant ethical considerations, including issues related to privacy, bias, and accountability. It is essential to educate students about these ethical implications and encourage critical thinking. Include discussions on ethical AI practices and case studies that highlight both the benefits and potential pitfalls of AI.

Syllabus Example

A few years ago, I migrated to a Digital Syllabus. This is simply a Google Slide deck that was published to the Web through the Share option. I then provided that link to the students on Google Classroom that gives them access to a view only version of the syllabus. The slide deck is in forced presentation mode so they can click the sections on the side to jump to specific sections of the syllabus. For our first day, we do a Syllabus Scavenger Hunt through Boom Learning cards that has them search for specific items in the syllabus (to ensure they’ve actually looked at it!).

New school years present both opportunities and challenges. By developing and implementing these ideas, you can integrate these AI guidelines into your syllabus, you can maximize the benefits of AI while addressing potential risks.

Start with the basics and ensure students use AI responsibly and effectively, fostering critical thinking and ethical awareness.

With these preparations, we can guide students through this evolving landscape, making this school year a transformative and successful one and of course, one where you’re ✨Usng Your Smarticles✨

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