Joseph Lanzafame

I primarily teach General Chemistry to non-chemistry majors and Writing Intensive Physical Chemistry labs for chemistry majors.

1. How do you use AI in your teaching, and what are your favorite resources?

It's so early in the game I try to play with all of them. Bing AI is the most accurate for what I do. Bard is also pretty good. I no longer use ChatGPT3.5, as it seems a little outdated now. I'm trying to use it for everything to see how it functions. In the classroom, I've asked students to use it to generate answers. I've also asked students to use it to evaluate answers. I've tried, with limited success, to get students to use it as a learning tool to explain concepts to them.

2. Can you share or describe an example or two of an AI-related assignment?

Joseph's submission can be found in the Fram Faculty Toolbox. 

3. What do you tell students about using AI?

I tell them to use it for everything except exams. I tell them that current AIs make mistakes, and so they need to critically evaluate any answers they are given.

4. What challenges, if any, have you had with AI in your courses?
 
One of the biggest challenges has been getting students to be willing to use it. There is a surprising level of reticence among my General Chemistry students, most of whom are 1st years. I seem to have embraced it more than them. The second biggest challenge is that I'm little more than a novice. I have yet to fully discover the capabilities or limitations of current systems for the types of research questions that I encounter.

5. How do you think AI has or will impact your domain?
 
I think that AI will change EVERYTHING. I have never been more excited about an emerging technology. The generative AI tools that currently exist are language-based. As such, they are very good at language-based exercises. They are less skilled at quantitative exercises and visual or symbolic exercises. As such, there are aspects of chemistry where they are not yet completely useful tools. Chemistry does, however, have language-based or rule-based domains. Chemistry also requires communication, formally and informally. It is here where AI is already an incredibly powerful tool. It can be used for idea generation, proofreading, evaluation of responses according to a rubric, information research, and similar tasks. I believe future generations of AIs will serve as 24/7 teaching assistants, able to answer student questions and provide learning support. I envision a future where AIs are the primary instructors for some academic content.