We found 52 results that contain "tools"

AI Commons Bulletin 12/18/2024
Human-curated news about generative AI for Teaching and Learning in Higher Education.

🍔 Try This: Use AI to generate scenario examples

If you often use examples and scenarios in your lectures, AI can refresh them or generate new ones quickly.

BUT: Characters in gen AI scenarios can display a bias toward western culture. To mitigate, add this to your prompt “Ensure that the name used is gender inclusive and representative of a diverse cultural/ethnic background” (Mirowsky, 2024)

Learn More: https://pubs.acs.org/doi/suppl/10.1021/acs.jchemed.4c00844/suppl_file/ed4c00844_si_001.pdf

🧲 Google Releases New “Learn About” AI Tool

The tool “helps you explore academic topics & concepts.” The layout resembles a textbook, includes additional audio and video sources, and further topics are even organized by terms that Bloom’s uses under comprehension: Understand, Explain, Describe.

BUT: Learning is not saved. Once you close the page, the session is gone.

Learn More: https://learning.google.com/experiments/learn-about

📗 Syllabus Statements

Students want to know what is or is not allowed in using AI for a course:
1. No AI
2. AI Planning
3. AI Collaboration
4. Full AI
5. AI Exploration

Learn More: Perkins, M., Roe, J., & Furze, L. (2024). The AI Assessment Scale Revisited: A Framework for Educational Assessment (No. arXiv:2412.09029). arXiv. https://doi.org/10.48550/arXiv.2412.09029

Get the AI-Commons Bulletin on our Microsoft Teams channel, at aicommons.commons.msu.edu, or by email (send an email to aicommons@msu.edu with the word “subscribe”).

I've heard that other universities are getting private or enterprise versions of AI tools (ChatGPT and Bing) to address many of the issues raised in the Usage Policy. Is MSU moving in that direction? If so, is there a timeframe?

It is important to note that the peer-educator dialogue should be an iterative process of lifelong learning and practice improvement. These are tools aimed at helping educators learn with and from one another. How an instructor-educator utilizes or shares the feedback provided in through this dialogue process is completely up to them.

Click the attachment below to download a copy of the Peer-Educator Dialogue Protocol (.docx, 41KB).

Virtual Community and Collaboration | 2-minute poll: https://forms.office.com/r/ZgQwUg3gSH

How are you using technology to build and sustain virtual communities, at MSU and beyond MSU?

I'm asking because I have really struggled to answer this for my own grad students and colleagues, I'm frustrated with insufficient answers from MSU IT, and I don't have time to experiment with every tool out there! This question is about connecting and collaborating beyond the level of an individual class. Do you just rely on email and maybe a shared folder somewhere? Do you use Teams with colleagues? Do you have a Team or other online group for all the students in your program? How do you connect with alumni? Do you have social media channels, groups, etc.? Do you use a platform to collaborate with colleagues at other institutions?

The poll has 3 brief questions. Results will appear as word clouds for now but may be re-built into a poll with multi-select items or upvoting-downvoting functions.

Response summary link: https://forms.office.com/Pages/AnalysisPage.aspx?AnalyzerToken=D35cYgPKBhFIQ8WM71D7vaLjW5lmmRrg&id=MHEXIi9k2UGSEXQjetVofdg3qWdeLPRJhhXmv5kR_yJUN0hFQkNWQVRWWk5DSTBRRVZHSzZFTzVRRC4u

AI Commons Bulletin 2/26/2025

🆚 AI in Qualitative Research: ChatGPT vs. Human Coders
An MSU study examined ChatGPT’s role in qualitative data analysis, comparing AI-augmented and human coding of hotel guest experiences. AI-generated themes aligned with human-coded ones but missed social interactions and safety concerns. A hybrid approach—AI for initial coding with human refinement—balances efficiency and analytical rigor.

Learn More: Sun, H., Kim, M., Kim, S., & Choi, L. (2025). A methodological exploration of generative artificial intelligence (AI) for efficient qualitative analysis on hotel guests’ delightful experiences. International Journal of Hospitality Management, 124, 103974.

🤔 VR Tool with AI Increased Student Learning and Reflection
This empirical study found that students interacting with a VR course tutor increased focus and reflection and were more likely to ask questions, “Within the dialogue with the AI virtual tutor, learners most frequently engaged in discourse centered around collaboratively building on ideas.”

Learn More: Chu, X. et al. Enhancing the flipped classroom model with generative AI and Metaverse technologies. Ed Tech Res Dev (2025).

🧠 Use LLM Prompting to Teach Computational Thinking
Many fields consider computational thinking (CT) to be essential. Hsu (2025) details how to teach this skill using LLM prompting. Also includes interesting ideas for incorporating prompting in a deeper way: meaningful, social prompting, or learner directed prompting

Learn More: Hsu, HP. From Programming to Prompting. TechTrends (2025).

🧭 AI Guidelines at Major Universities are Pretty Predictable
A content analysis of AI guidelines at the top 50 USNWR-ranked institutions reveals key themes: AI use is allowed but must not involve plagiarism or unauthorized assistance, instructors should clearly define AI expectations, and users must follow privacy guidelines by avoiding sharing sensitive or confidential information.

Learn More: Alba et al (2025) ChatGPT Comes to Campus. SIGSCE TS.

Bulletin items compiled by MJ Jackson and Sarah Freye with production assistance from Lisa Batchelder. Get the AI-Commons Bulletin on our Microsoft Teams channel, at aicommons.commons.msu.edu, or by email (send an email to aicommons@msu.edu with the word “subscribe”).

Hey everyone! I saw this great playlist that has so really helpful content on accessibility, ed tech, teaching tools, and more. Thought you might find it useful: https://iteach.msu.edu/pathways/252/playlist

JUSTIN - I'm totally new to thinking about comics as tools in my teaching/learning environments. Where do I start? How do I know if there are comics that are relevant to my discipline? What are the places to look?

AI 101: and Infographic

Check out this simple resource from aiEDU (the AI Education Project) a non-profit that creates equitable learning experiences that build foundational AI literacy. You can learn more, and find adaptable tools and activities for educators, parents, and students at https://www.aiedu.org/