Tristen Cortez EDINBURG – With the upcoming Fall semester, faculty at universities face the issue of artificial intelligence and its usage by students.
Despite the concerns associated with cheating, some professors have taken the initiative to embrace AI and its benefits.
As published in a document by the Stanford AI Index Report, growth in AI specialization has increased, reaching a peak of 19% of Computer Science doctorates specializing in the field.
Rene Corbeil, professor of Educational Technology, has been on the cutting-edge when it comes to the digital age, having taught computer-literacy in online courses at UTRGV since 1998 and continually adapting to the growth of AI and other technologies in academia.
Corbeil proposed that AI can be used as an aid so long as it’s implemented responsibly by adding personal experience and justifying with examples.
“What I’ve seen some faculty do is say, okay, create a prompt to answer this question, analyze it and tell me how you would fix it, identify where its strengths and weaknesses are, and then rewrite the essay or the response based on the input you received,” Corbeil said.
Kevin Crouse, UTRGV chief information security officer, stated that he has seen the opportunity that comes with AI, but there is also an urgency on the behalf of universities to create policies that allow reasonable use.
“That’s the thing I’m finding with papers that I wish students would learn and realize,” Crouse said. “Just because you go out and create with AI doesn’t mean it’s perfect, doesn’t even mean it’s right.”
Douglas Stoves, associate dean of Student Rights and Responsibilities, said that he believes AI can be applied on a case-by-case basis, but moreover it is the responsibility of students to maintain their engagement in the academic year.
“You’re going to get what you put into it right,” Stoves said. “So, if you don’t put in the time, then you know, you’re not going to do as well as somebody who goes to class, participates in class, asks questions, utilizing the officer hours, those sorts of things.”
Students who need guidance in the academic year or have questions about policies pertaining to AI can contact the Student Rights and Responsibilities Office through their email ssr@utrgv.edu.
