In this episode, Rob and Jared chat with two faculty members from Tiffin University about the use of Generative AI. Dr. Michelle L. Meadows, Associate Professor of Education, and Dr. Dan Clark, Vice Provost & Dean for the School of Education & Extended Learning, share about how Tiffin equips students and faculty to use AI well. Contact us at [email protected] with any questions. You can also visit our blog at cedarville.edu/focusblog for additional resources.

Tiffin University’s approach to Generative AI is marked with innovation. They start with being transparent about how  Generative AI should be used, giving students an AI “toolkit” so they are aware of AI’s limitations and are able to use it ethically. Dr. Meadows, Dr. Clark, and Tiffin introduced design statements (statement that students include into assignments describing how they used AI to aid in completion) into their courses to monitor and guide student use of Generative AI tools. These design statements are a way for students to share their metacognitive processes and explain how they completed assignments, including their use of AI. The design statements encourage transparency and provide instructors with insight into how students use these tools.

As Tiffin University implemented these ideas, their faculty members have generally been supportive of incorporating design statements in their courses, but more training is needed for both faculty and students to effectively implement and assess the statements. They also highlight the importance of building trust between students and faculty when it comes to using AI, since some students were reluctant to disclose their use of AI tools.