4 Using AI for Discussion Assignments in an Online Class

Directions

For Instructors

• Prepare students for this activity by including information in a Getting Started Module at the beginning of the semester. In this course, a Canvas page called “Using AI for Discussions” is included in the Getting Started Module. It includes the following information:
  • Artificial Intelligence (AI) at UTA
    • A description and link to how UTA is embracing AI
    • A link to Microsoft Copilot (UTA’s GenAI tool of choice) and instructions on how to get started with it, including a video of a conversation with Copilot.
  • Tips for AI Prompt Engineering
    • Emphasis that GenAI tools are extremely easy to use, but using them well takes practice
    • A list of useful tips when using AI, such as:
      • be very detailed in your prompt; give context
      • be prepared to further interrogate AI about the results
      • use your own knowledge (do not let AI tell you what to think) and common sense
      • do not believe everything AI gives you (it does hallucinate)
      • do further research/due diligence on the generated response
      • NEVER just cut and paste a response without reading it and think it is good (or even correct)
    • A few links to resources on writing effective AI prompts, with examples
  • What Responsible Use of AI Looks Like
    • Emphasis on always being clear when AI us being used and when it’s not when permitted for assignments and never passing AI-generated content off as one’s own
    • How to cite GenAI Use
    • Examples of ethical uses of GenAI in everyday life
• Determine the topic of the discussion assignment and the associated course content, such as an article, video, documentary, or podcast. Craft a discussion-appropriate question that does not have a right or wrong answer.
• Create the discussion assignment in Canvas, making sure to add explicit instructions (see “For Students” below). Add a due date, choose the Canvas setting that prevents students from seeing what others have posted until they post, attach a grading rubric, and publish the discussion assignment in the appropriate module.
• Once the due date has passed, grade the discussion assignment using the rubric in SpeedGrader, making sure to leave a comment, if points are deducted, explaining why.

For Students

Below are the assignment instructions and guidelines given to students in the Canvas discussion assignment.

Instructions

For this discussion, I would like you to use content from the PBS documentary “Sick Around the World.”

For your initial discussion post, you will be using artificial intelligence (AI). UTA partners with Microsoft, so I recommend using Microsoft Copilot (copilot.microsoft.com). Go there and log in with your UTA credentials. However, you may use another AI program, such as ChatGPT.

Initial Post

For your initial post, answer ONE of the following two questions using Microsoft Copilot. The prompt given to Copilot should not necessarily be the question below word for word. Context is important, as well as making sure Copilot is using information from “Sick Around the World.” Make sure to read “Using AI for Discussions” in the Getting Started module for tips on writing an effective prompt. You might want to start by asking Copilot if it has seen “Sick Around the World” or by feeding it the transcript of the documentary.

For the discussion board, please submit the prompt you give to Microsoft Copilot AND the answer that Microsoft Copilot gives. Your job is to get the best answer you can from Microsoft Copilot, and that will depend upon the prompt you give it.

1) What 2-3 policies or parts of the healthcare system in different countries (specify which countries) do you think would work in the United States? Why? If you don’t think any would work, still specify 2-3 policies and explain why they wouldn’t work.

OR

2) What is one market failure that you think other countries in the documentary are addressing successfully? Explain. If you don’t think any country is addressing any market failure successfully, explain that too.

You must mention the documentary and some of the specific countries discussed in your answers.

Reply Post

You must submit at least one reply to another classmate’s initial post. Please choose a post to which no one else has replied, if possible, and address all of the following requests/questions in your reply.

1) Read the prompt that your classmate submitted to Microsoft Copilot and the resulting AI answer. In your own words, evaluate the answer provided by AI. Do you see any issues with the AI answer, such as hallucinations or factual misinformation? Did the AI provide the information requested?

AND

2) Use the AI answer your classmate posted and make it better. You can use AI to do this, or you can use your own words and knowledge of the documentary, or both. If you use AI, please share your prompt(s). Be clear about what is AI-generated and what is not. In your own words, explain why your revised answer is better.

Guidelines

• Your initial post should address the prompt above. Then you should reply to at least one of your classmates’ posts, a post to which no one has already replied (if possible), addressing all of the requests/questions.
• Your initial post (prompt + AI answer) should be around 250-350 words. Your reply post should be about the same.
• Be clear about what part of your post is AI-generated and what is not.
• If you want to use a source to support your statements (other than the documentary), you must cite the source. If you are using sentences or parts of sentences directly from the source, you must include quotations.
• You will not see others’ posts until after your initial post. If you make a blank or very short post (such as a word) before your first post answering the prompt, you will not get credit for the discussion.

Support for Students

Using AI for Discussions [Instructor should link to a Canvas page in the Getting Started Module which outlines expectations for AI use in discussion boards]

How to Reply to a Discussion (https://community.canvaslms.com/t5/Student-Guide/How-do-I-reply-to-a-discussion-as-a-student/ta-p/334)

How to View the Rubric for My Graded Discussion (https://community.canvaslms.com/t5/Student-Guide/How-do-I-view-the-rubric-for-my-graded-discussion/ta-p/319)

Assessment

The discussion assignment is graded in Canvas using the following rubric, which is general and can be used with discussion assignments that do not include GenAI components. Timeliness is not a criterion on the rubric, as Canvas is used to automatically deduct points for late assignments. The rubric is given to students in the Getting Started Module in Canvas during the first week of class, and it is also attached to each Canvas discussion assignment. This makes it convenient for students to view the rubric as they are completing the discussion assignment and makes grading easier through SpeedGrader in Canvas.