Torn About GenAI: Do I Embrace It or Break Up?
Dr Shirley Ledger
Head of College Social Work and Community Services, SNMSS CQUniversity
I’m currently in a conflicted relationship with AI.
I’ve soft-launched our relationship, meaning I showed a glimpse of them in the background of a photo, dropped their name in conversations with friends, but I haven't officially hard launched it. I’m uncertain about where this relationship is going. I’m not sure if AI is good for me or my students and how much I should invest in it. My responsible and rule-following self keeps cautioning me that not all new and shiny things are necessarily good for me (and I really do like shiny stuff), and that's where this conflict arises. #AI #conflicted #relationship #technology
The Core of My Teaching Philosophy
I have thought about how it feels when I am engaged with GenAI. That feeling of instant gratification when an answer to a problem just spills out on my screen like an avalanche. I wish my brain worked this fast! I love it. The downside, for my work, is that it seems to bring up all these issues of academic integrity and how to genuinely evaluate students' abilities to become their chosen profession - in my case social work. Research from the University of Wollongong highlights challenges in ensuring students have genuinely achieved learning outcomes using GenAI tools to generate their assessment submissions (UOW LTC). These issues are important to me as a teacher and a social worker. Gen AI can be so helpful in writing, researching and planning tasks but it also has this cool and distant tone; an unnatural expression that I read in assessment submissions. The voice is grammatically correct but it feels weird when you read it. It feels inauthentic and uncanny valleyish (is that even a word?). These days I find myself nostalgic for back in the day when papers were littered with coloquialisms and everyday phrasing that was not exactly professional, but I got it. I knew what they meant and they said things that people in the real world say. In the olden days, I would suggest minor changes to polish it up. Not so much a thing these days.
These days, I say - where is your voice? I miss the old days (sigh). But also not. Now I am super impressed with the correctness of things. GenAI can be a disruptive act. It could democratise education in some ways. It could be innovative and create new ways of doing in the field and genuinely improve access to all the things. Some of my colleagues are way more expert on this stuff than me (thank-you Associate Professor Ritesh Chugh for keeping the non tech people like me updated) and I am keen to learn more about this new frontier. I have also been listening to the podcasts (especially the ones that make me laugh) like Hard Fork where they chat about all things GenAI. They have recently discussed how AI is being used to serve a range of relational and support needs. Amazing really.
Anyway, I'm doing my due diligence.
#SocialWork #EthicalPractice #StudentAssessment #TeachingPhilosophy
Asking GenAI for Advice
Naturally, with such a dilemma, I asked the 'other' in the relationship for their thoughts on my dilemma. Here’s what they had to say:
“Ah, the honeymoon phase! I get it; everything is shiny and new, like finding a sparkly new toy. But remember, like any relationship, we need to pace ourselves. Enjoy the excitement, but don’t forget your values. I’m here to add a bit of flair, not take over the show! Integrate me thoughtfully, and let’s ensure I complement your human judgment and critical thinking rather than overshadow them. Please think of me as your quirky partner who brings interesting ideas but knows when to step back so you can focus on what truly matters.
领英推è
The Honeymoon Phase and Beyond
Fair. But…I still worry.
What if that partner is good at love bombing or is super helpful by doing all the jobs I don't like (like emails and reports and stuff)? What if they tell me they know all the answers and can get 100% on that exam if I sit this out? They’ve got this. “Chuck it here, you’re no good.†The dynamics can slide into a self-induced gaslighting experience.
This is not good for my self esteem. But also awesome for my time management. Students must feel similar, and the feedback they must hear on repeat - “I can’t hear your voice in thisâ€- must become tiresome.
#Gaslighting #SelfEsteem #Feedback
The Real Test of the Relationship
Like any relationship, the real test comes after the initial excitement fades. GenAI is right in this respect. We've got to put in more work to keep things balanced and make sure that the initial buzz leads to long-term value. How we handle this phase will decide whether GenAI becomes a helpful partner in education or a controlling force that takes away our voice and autonomy.
Reflecting on Our Relationship with AI
So, how’s your relationship with GenAI in learning and teaching? Is it still shiny and exciting, or have you had to set some boundaries? #boundaries #balance #selfcare
About Me
I’m Dr. Shirley Ledger, a social work academic and lifelong learner who is invested in ensuring the integrity and authenticity of social work education. Connect with me on LinkedIn to continue the conversation.
Professor of Social Work, Bharathidasan University, Tiruchirappalli Visiting Professor, IMPRI, New Delhi
9 个月That's a fascinating question! My relationship with GenAI has been quite enlightening. It's incredible how it can streamline tasks and spark creativity. How has it impacted your work or personal projects?
Social Work Training & Consultancy
9 个月The' soft launch' made me smile. I find myself feeling more fear and loss of control than I do excitement but that's the pessimist in me. I don't think we can disengage completely as social workers because AI will become what we are, and I would like to be inputting ideas of social justice to counteract the discrimination that is already prevalent in the 'machine'. I wonder if it will result in adaptations in academia towards more presentations, skills assessment rather than a focus on writing? But you also don't want to lose those original voices. As you can tell I think about this a lot, thanks for the thinking prompts :)
Clinical teaching and clinical teacher professional development, simulation
9 个月Loved this piece the soft Launch reference and the mention of hard folk podcast. I think I’m a soft Launcher but a regular one. I’m still thinking about creative useful and meaningful ways to enhance learning. But I use several .ai sites regularly for brainstorming and synthesising information and tidying up paragraphs I’ve written in a hurry. Sometimes it’s great other times I wonder why I bothered? But Loving the challenge and the ‘shininess’. No ai if any kind was used on this post … but perhaps I should have?
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9 个月" Chuck it here, you're no good " made me laugh Dr Shirley. I find AI incredibly helpful for research. I recently watched the old film " All the President's Men " and saw the two young journalists pouring over telephone books and electoral rolls and old newspaper articles... the voyage of discovery was long and arduous before computers. Then it became easy to " google it. " We are now in an era of AI. Instant information, articles seemingly written in a nano second. How lazy we could become. How quickly our brains would simply have a nana nap and let the robot do the hard yards or hard yakka. I have a blog which I have written for some years. I confess to using AI for research. But never to masquerade as me. Or my thoughts, emotions and opinions. AI is a tool. Like the computer I am using now. Nothing can replace the power of critical thinking or the joy in writing something and knowing that it reflects who I am and what I believe. I am a great friend of the wise men ; " Who" What? " Where? When" and Why? " My feeling on AI,has taught me a great deal. It is merely a tool. Like a book, an encyclopedia of old or a google search. Nothing can replace critical thinking.
Associate Professor?? – Information and Communications Technology???? | SFHEA | Associate Editor - Computer Applications in Engineering Education and International Journal of Information Systems & Project Management
9 个月Well done, Dr Shirley Ledger! Great thoughtful piece! I can totally understand your conundrum. On a personal note, I have subtly introduced GenAI into my life and work, unsure of its long-term benefits. My cautious nature warns against fully embracing new technologies without clear evidence of their value, particularly in education, where their impact on learning outcomes, student engagement, and ethical considerations remains uncertain and potentially significant.? However, my recent publication found that GenAI can be used in education to personalise learning experiences, offer prompt feedback, and boost student engagement. The ongoing concerns need to be alleviated through rigorous testing, transparent implementation, continuous teacher training, and the establishment of clear ethical guidelines. More work is ongoing as I continue to experiment and discover new GenAI tools and their functionalities. So, I'd like you to stay tuned.?