Does AI have a place in the classroom

How Adelphi's unique AI task force is preparing for the future of education.

Higher education has historically contended with a number of disruptors, from recessions to the COVID-19 pandemic, for example. Now there's a new existential challenge on the block: generative AI (artificial intelligence),¹ a phenomenon that's poised to reshape the future of learning, for better or worse. For students, AI offers an irresistible cheat code. For faculty, it could invite the nightmare scenario of large-scale plagiarism.

But there's no turning back the tide on this new technology. A. Hasan Sapci, MD, associate professor in the College of Nursing and Public Health and program director of health informatics, is leading the charge to ensure that Adelphi can stay ahead of the latest advances in generative AI technology. As the chair of Adelphi's multidisciplinary Artificial Intelligence Committee, Dr. Sapci is working with faculty to integrate AI into the curriculum and research, enhance teaching methods across disciplines, and promote ethical use of AI. While the sudden release of powerful AI text-generation tools powered by LLMs (large language models) took most universities by surprise, Adelphi's task force, now a committee, met the challenge head-on, quickly instituting a plan to navigate the impending changes. "I can proudly say that Adelphi was one of the first academic institutions that recognized the transformative potential of technology," Dr. Sapci noted.

Previously a task force, it is now a committee that includes representatives from the Academic Standards Committee, the Faculty Senate Committee on Academic Information and Technology (SCAIT), and the Committee on Academic Integrity. It conducted a variety of University-wide surveys, then incorporated feedback into an evolving set of standards and best practices.

Dr. Sapci presented the task force's AI road map at the CAHIIM (Commission on Accreditation for Health Informatics and Information Management Education) 2023 Summit on Higher Education, which includes the important statement that Adelphi does not approve of stopping people from using generative AI. Instead of building restrictive policies, the task force strives to incorporate AI tools into teaching and research strategies. Though Dr. Sapci and his colleagues caution that unacknowledged use constitutes plagiarism (which instructors should communicate through a template provided by the task force), they ultimately embrace AI's value.

"By incorporating AI tools into the curriculum, students can be exposed to cutting-edge technology and use [it] as a research tool to enhance their learning experiences," he told Adelphi last year. "This is an excellent strategy to equip them with valuable skills for the future."

Nevertheless, the possibility of academic dishonesty looms large. Because there is no foolproof way to detect AI-written student material, Dr. Sapci is taking inspiration from his background in the medical field to counter cheating and plagiarism. "Due to the complex nature of human health, there is no perfect treatment for several diseases," he explained. "However, there are always best practices, such as early detection strategies, regular screenings and personalized treatment plans, combined with several methods to prevent complications. We need to adopt a similar approach."

Under Dr. Sapci's guidance, the task force has developed digital resources for students and instructors, including a rubric designed to assist instructors in evaluating the AI content of student work alongside input from originality checking and plagiarism detection service Turnitin, LLC. The student rubric for AI use, available on the Adelphi website, aims to make students aware of the limitations of generative AI tools, such as its tendencies toward bias and misinformation. It also outlines a process for responsible use of AI in coursework, which entails obtaining permission, ensuring proper attribution and avoiding academic dishonesty.

Far from fearing or attempting to obstruct the oncoming changes wrought by AI, Dr. Sapci welcomes adaptation. As businesses around the globe have learned, it's a crucial survival mechanism in the face of disruption. "We need to stay current with changing trends, learn this technology's limitations and adapt our teaching practices as faculty members," he said. "It is up to us to determine new skills, track the latest trends and provide future-proof skills to our students."

Biography

A. Hasan Sapci, MD

A. Hasan Sapci, MD, associate professor and program director in the Department of Health Informatics, holds several certifications in artificial intelligence (AI) and AI in medicine. His research interests include AI in healthcare, connected health, telemedicine and remote patient monitoring, innovative clinical informatics and data analytics applications for patient care, clinical support systems, and modeling complex medical decision-making.

^{¹Sapci, A. H. (2022)."The Development of AI-Proof Teaching Strategies for Health Informatics Education" [Conference presentation]. CAHIIM 2023 Summit on Higher Education, Virtual. https://www.cahiim.org/docs/default-source/resources/events/cahiim-summit-on-higher-education-2023/2023-cahiim-summit-on-higher-education.pdf?sfvrsn=316e9078_6}