Enhancing Teaching and Learning with Generative AI

Purpose-driven AI integration: Before using AI, clarify the goals it will support. Define how AI can enhance learning outcomes, such as personalized feedback, content creation, or research assistance.

Example: Use AI to brainstorm project topics. Explicitly tell students when they should stop utilizing generative AI for this project. 

Explain AI’s role in the classroom: Be transparent with students about how AI will be used and explain its capabilities and limitations. This promotes ethical use and helps students understand AI’s strengths and weaknesses.

Example: Introduce students to AI tools like ChatGPT by explaining how it generates responses and the importance of critically evaluating AI-generated content. Create an introductory assignment that requires students to use ChatGPT to generate written work. Ask that students critically evaluate the output and submit that for grading and large & small group reflection.

Teach responsible AI use: Develop guidelines around AI usage, such as proper attribution of AI-generated content and the ethical considerations of using AI for assignments.

Example: Incorporate early discussions on academic integrity, plagiarism, and the appropriate use of AI for research and writing assistance.

Complement, don’t replace: AI should be used to complement learning, not as a substitute for critical thinking and problem-solving. Encourage students to critically assess AI-generated suggestions or solutions.

Example: Have students use AI tools for brainstorming or drafting, but require them to analyze and refine the output with their own insights. Require students to reflect on these exercises using in-class discussions or asynchronous online discussions utilizing NYU Brightspace.

Leverage AI for adaptive learning: Use AI-powered tools to tailor instruction based on individual student needs, providing personalized learning experiences that adapt to student progress.

Example: Create personalized study plans for your different learning styles. Try imputing your activity or assignment into chatGPT and asking it to provide you with ideas on how to adjust the assignment for learners with anxiety or depression or for students who might be new to the subject matter and need more scaffolding.  

Facilitate group projects with AI: Use AI to enhance collaboration by allowing students to engage in AI-driven group discussions, idea generation, and content refinement.

Example: Students can use AI to collectively generate project ideas or feedback, fostering peer learning and critical evaluation of AI outputs. Ask students to assess the AI output for bias and misinformation.

Monitor effectiveness: Regularly assess the impact of AI on student learning outcomes. Be prepared to adjust its use based on feedback and learning progress.

Example: Conduct regular check-ins with students to gauge how AI aids their learning and where it may need adjustment or further guidance. You can facilitate this through a reflective discussion, anonymous feedback via Google Forms, or anonymous discussions on NYU Brightspace.

Develop AI usage policies: Set clear policies on how AI can and cannot be used in coursework. Include these guidelines in the syllabus and ensure students understand the expectations.

Example: Clearly state that AI-generated text must be cited or only used in specific parts of an assignment (e.g., brainstorming).

Provide AI tool training: Ensure students are adequately trained in using AI tools. Offer tutorials or resources to help everyone use AI effectively and ethically. Don’t assume that just because your learners are younger, they’re comfortable with AI!

Example: Request that the Digitial Innovation and Learning Team host an AI workshop at the start of the semester to familiarize students with the AI tools they’ll be using in class.

Be mindful of AI’s weaknesses: Educate students about AI’s limitations, such as potential biases, factual inaccuracies, or lack of contextual understanding, and how these can impact output quality.

Example: Have students cross-check AI-generated research content with primary sources to verify accuracy. Additionally, have students intentionally examine the output for bias and share the findings with the larger audience.

Best for: Undergraduate & Graduate

Activity Type: Discussion & Critical Thinking

Description: Students use AI to generate arguments for or against a topic and then engage in a structured debate. This activity helps students analyze AI-generated reasoning, refine arguments, and improve their debate skills.

Lesson Plan Steps:

1. Assign students a debate topic related to the course material.
2. Have students use an AI tool (like ChatGPT or Gemini) to generate arguments for both sides.
3. Pair students and assign them positions (pro/con).
4. Students refine AI-generated responses with evidence from course readings.
5. Conduct live debates in class.

Materials Needed:

1. Access to an AI chatbot
2. Course readings
3. Debate rubric

Prep Time: 15-20 minutes

Activity Duration: 30-45 minutes

Activity Lesson Plan

Best for: Undergraduate

Activity Type: Creative Writing & AI Interaction

Description: Students generate AI-assisted short stories by remixing different styles, perspectives, or time periods. This activity encourages creativity, genre analysis, and critical evaluation of AI-generated content while reinforcing course concepts.

Lesson Plan Steps:

1. Provide students with a historical event, concept, or case study from the course.
2. Have them prompt an AI to rewrite the event in a specific genre (e.g., sci-fi, dystopian, detective).
3. Students revise and add their own analysis.
4. Share and discuss how AI changes the narrative perspective.

Materials Needed:

1. AI text generator (ChatGPT, Gemini, etc.)
2. Course materials for context

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Activity Duration: 45-60 minutes

Activity Lesson Plan

Best for: Graduate & Upper-Level Undergraduate

Activity Type: Critical Thinking

Description: Students analyze AI-generated fake research papers to identify biases and inaccuracies.

Lesson Plan Steps:

1. Provide AI-generated "fake" research papers with errors.
2. Students analyze papers for logical inconsistencies, bias, or misrepresented sources.
3. Discuss AI's role in academic integrity and research credibility.

Materials Needed:

1. AI-generated research excerpts
2. Fact-checking resources

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Activity Duration: 45-60 minutes

Activity Lesson Plan

Best for: Undergraduate

Activity Type: Media & Communication

Description: Students create a short podcast episode using AI-generated scripts and then refine them.

Lesson Plan Steps:

1. Assign students a course-related topic.
2. Have them generate a script with a generative AI software.
3. Students revise for accuracy and engagement.
4. Record and share their podcast episodes and reflect on the work of AI in podcasting.

Materials Needed:

1. AI chatbot
2. Recording software (iphone,Anchor, Audacity, etc.)

Prep Time: 20-30 minutes

Activity Duration: 60-90 minutes

Activity Lesson Plan

Best for: Undergraduate & Graduate

Activity Type: Study & Review

Description: Students use AI to generate potential exam questions and critique their quality.

Lesson Plan Steps:

1. Assign students key topics or themes to review.
2. Have them generate exam questions using AI.
3. Students refine and critique AI-generated questions.
4. Submit the best ones for peer review or instructor use.

Materials Needed:

1. AI chatbot
2. Access to course themes and materials

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Activity Duration: 30-45 minutes

Activity Lesson Plan

Best for: Undergraduate & Graduate

Activity Type: Ethics & Decision-Making

Description: Students engage with AI-generated ethical dilemmas related to course themes.

Lesson Plan Steps:

1. Have AI generate ethical dilemmas based on course topics.
2. Students analyze different responses AI provides.
3. Discuss how AI "thinks" about ethics and human decision-making.

Materials Needed:

1. AI chatbot
2. Ethical dilemmas related to course themes and topics

Prep Time: 10-15 minutes

Activity Duration: 45-60 minutes

Activity Lesson Plan

Best for: Undergraduate & Graduate

Activity Type: Role-Playing, Case Analysis, and AI Evaluation

Description: In this lesson, students will interact with Google Gemini to analyze and develop intervention and treatment plans for various patients. By inputting a structured case study into Gemini, students will receive AI-generated clinical recommendations and critically evaluate them for clinical accuracy, practical application, and ethical considerations based on field guidelines.

Lesson Plan Steps:

1. Students input a structured patient case into Google Gemini.
2. AI generates a diagnosis or treatment plan.
3. Students compare AI’s recommendations with clinical guidelines.
4. Students identify errors, biases, or missing factors.
5. Class discussion on AI’s role, limitations, and ethics.
6. Students submit a reflection on AI’s accuracy and impact.

Materials Needed:

1. AI chatbot (ChatGPT, Perplexity, Gemini, etc.)
2. Case study templates
3. Clinical guidelines for comparison (e.g., American Psychological Association, Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics)

Prep Time: 10-15 minutes

Activity Duration: 45-60 minutes

Activity Lesson Plan

Best for: Graduate & Upper-Level Undergraduate

Activity Type: Independent Study & Research

Description: Students will use NotebookLM and Google Gemini as AI-powered research assistants to refine research questions, identify key sources, and evaluate AI-generated recommendations. By cross-checking AI-suggested sources with library databases, students will assess the reliability and effectiveness of AI in academic research.

Lesson Plan Steps:

1. Students input a research question into AI.
2. AI suggests key sources and refines the question.
3. Students assess AI’s recommendations.
4. AI-generated sources are cross-checked for validity.

Materials Needed:

1. Generative Al Tool
2. Access to library databases

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Activity Duration: 45-60 minutes

Activity Lesson Plan

Best for: Graduate & Undergraduate

Activity Type: Independent Study & Research

Description: Students use NotebookLM to support framing, which is sets of guiding questions to promote evaluative and analytical thinking of a resource. Framing trains students to focus on the resource's main arguments, supporting evidence, and counterarguments. AI can serve as a reflective partner in this skill and provide feedback.

Lesson Plan Steps:

1. Provide framing questions to students.
2. Provide a resource to students to read, watch, or listen.
3. Students draft responses to the framing questions.
4. Students input guiding questions, responses and resources into AI to compare.
5. Students follow-up with prompts on how to improve their responses. (examples are in the lesson plan)

Materials Needed:

1. Students need a laptop
2. Generative Al Tool (e.g. NotebookLM)
3. Framing questions
4. Course resources (text, video, audio, etc)
5. Follow-up prompts

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Activity Duration: 30-60 minutes

Activity Lesson Plan