Oregon State Ecampus offers open-source materials that provide clarity for instructors and foster positive learning experiences for students
In response to the wave of new generative artificial intelligence tools being used in higher education, Oregon State University Ecampus has developed a suite of AI resources and recommendations to help guide faculty and staff in their use of these tools in their online classroom.
As many consider the potential of AI technologies such as ChatGPT, DALL-E and Bard to change education for the better, they may also pose risks. A special Oregon State Ecampus council created a principles-based framework on how to incorporate AI tools responsibly and ethically into online courses, research and other projects.
The resources aim to help create positive experiences for instructors and learners and are available online for all to use under a Creative Commons license. They include:
- An ethics statement and a set of principles to guide the use of AI in teaching and learning
- An AI decision tree to help faculty and staff decide if, when and how to use AI to support teaching and learning
- Considerations for how to revise assessments at various levels of Bloom’s Taxonomy
- Practical strategies and early steps faculty can take to adjust teaching and assignments in light of new AI technologies
These guidelines were informed by Ecampus’ own core values; the well-established ethics framework used by OSU’s Institutional Review Board; and information shared by the Center for Humane Technology.
The first of the seven principles calls on faculty and staff to be student-centered, meaning that decisions should be made based on whether AI tools can advance student learning while reducing any risks.
“Generative AI tools are here to stay, and we want to ensure that we promote the use of them in ways that are consistent with university values while mitigating risks to students,” said Karen Watté, the Oregon State Ecampus senior director of course development and training.
“This particular suite of resources gives us a very good start in working with faculty, and as AI tools continue to evolve, we’re committed to revisiting this work and providing support.”
Ecampus also identified three early steps faculty should take in order to adapt their individual courses and activities in the era of artificial intelligence:
- Experiment with AI tools to test how they could impact the student experience.
- Revise academic integrity policy statement in syllabi.
- Begin planning design changes to course assignments.
The Oregon State Ecampus AI council consists of senior administrators, instructional designers, multimedia developers, web and IT professionals, analysts and researchers.
You can find more practical strategies, recommendations and resources on the Ecampus website.
