The Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in UMD courses

Dear Colleagues,

Recent innovations in Artificial Intelligence (AI) technology are bringing both productivity benefits and unpredictable pedagogical challenges to educational settings like ours. New AI-based Large Language Models (LLMs), such as Google’s LaMDA and OpenAI’s ChatGPT, are emerging and will continue to develop, improve, and be integrated with many technologies that we use daily. Adapting our instructional approaches to embrace the opportunities that these new tools present is important — as is identifying and mitigating misuse and negative effects — as we prepare our students to effectively and responsibly navigate the technology-rich world we all inhabit.

Over the past semester, I have dedicated time to learning about and experimenting with these new tools.  I have engaged in conversations with academic leaders across the country as well as UMD faculty, students, staff, Senate leaders, deans, academic administrators, and others about the implications of these new technologies for teaching and learning. The reality is that AI is here to stay and we will need to adjust to and, as appropriate, integrate these new technologies into our instructional and assessment practices. We will also need to determine when the use of AI tools should be deterred and how to respond to inappropriate uses. 

Reflecting our strategic commitment to reimagining learning, I encourage UMD faculty to take a nuanced and intentional approach that balances the new opportunities presented by AI tools with potential issues related to misuse and academic integrity. Course objectives and learning outcomes should guide the adoption of any technology in education. With respect to AI tools, there is a substantive difference between courses and assessments focused on the development of fundamental skills (e.g., writing, coding) and those focused on applying those essential skills in scientific, technical, analytical, and creative contexts (and, of course, many do both). Distinctions like this may have implications for how educators from different disciplines across our campus thoughtfully approach AI tools.

I strongly encourage all UMD instructors to familiarize themselves with these AI tools and keep abreast of continuous change and new evidence about AI and its impact on teaching, learning, and society. The pedagogical uses of these tools will vary across disciplines and courses, so discussions about appropriate and innovative uses should occur within academic programs. The Teaching and Learning Transformation Center (TLTC) offers workshops, faculty learning communities, and individual consultations that can help instructors think creatively about their assessments and specific learning outcomes, with authentic, relevant, student-centered learning at the forefront of academic planning. Please visit the TLTC Artificial Intelligence webpage, which serves as a useful campus-wide resource on how AI can support instruction and how to mitigate negative effects.

Strategically leveraging AI tools and other technologies in UMD courses offers a competitive advantage for our students who, like us, are navigating a world in which advanced technologies are rapidly expanding in every aspect of 21st-century life. I look forward to working with you as we navigate the many emerging technologies that affect teaching, learning, and work at UMD.

Sincerely,

Jennifer King Rice

Senior Vice President and Provost