With the rapid rise of Artificial Intelligence (AI) sources and tools, UCCS has a new AI resource for students, staff and faculty to refer to and learn from. The recently developed Artificial intelligence (AI) at UCCS webpage offers information and help on AI topics including:
- How AI Works
- Transparency and Documentation
- Types of Tools
- Ethical Use Considerations
- Copyright Implications
While AI can be a valuable partner in education, reliance on AI tools to produce essays, presentations, lab reports, artwork and podcasts means users aren’t building new skills, practicing new ways of thinking, or developing a strong work ethic. When Gen AI is used as a shortcut to the outcome, students won’t learn as much and will be less prepared for future careers.
This initiative, which aims to meet the needs shared by the campus community in regards to AI, is spearheaded by Kacey Ross, Teaching Professor of English and Director of First-Year Rhetoric and Writing & Writing Across the Curriculum, and Martin Key, Ph.D., Professor of Digital Strategy and Marketing and Director of AI Strategy for the Academy of Marketing Science, who are the co-chairs of the UCCS AI Working Group.
The UCCS AI Working Group consists of faculty and staff from UCCS colleges committed to addressing the changing needs related to AI use and how to best serve students while finding the balance between using AI as a tool without overly relying on it. The page is informed by feedback from UCCS faculty and staff as well, after the committee completed a AI needs assessment where 176 faculty and staff shared their experiences and opinions, and was built to meet the most-voiced needs and concerns shared to make it tailored uniquely for the UCCS community.
Each topics listed above offers links and sources to learn more and ethically use AI, such as LinkedIn courses on how AI operates, UCCS AI tools, ways to cite AI across several academic writing formats, which AI tools to use for different tasks, how to consider copyright and ethical concerns and more.
The AI Working Group also continues to look ahead and adapt along the constantly changing AI landscape, with plans to keep adding resources and tools to the Artificial intelligence (AI) at UCCS page and soliciting feedback on what is most valuable for the campus community. A policy audit and training opportunities are part of this ongoing work.