Session details: 18 October 2024, venue- B-Block Resource Room, Ocean Sciences Campus

Aim:

A conversation about responsible AI use in health professional education. Discussing the risks and the opportunities of AI in learning and teaching.

Format:

The interactive session was based on informative, thought-provoking presentations by Adrew Thuo, a Learning Technologist in the Digital Learning Experience Design & Innovation (LXD) department. These presentations were engaging with input and practical insights from Simon Venter and Khanyiso Themba of the Humanities Faculty and our very own Health Sciences colleagues.  

Programme for the day

Discussions:

Andrew Thuo’s presentation covered an array of interesting aspects including:

AI overview:

• A brief history of ChatGPT
• What can it and can’t it do?
• How does it work?
• How was ChatGPT developed?
• Foundation models vs Tools
• Text generators (ChatGPT3.5 and 4 (Open AI, LeChat, Google’s Gemini, Microsoft Copilot, Claude)
• Image generators (Dall-E, Bing-image generator, Stable Diffusion, Midjourney)
• Video generators (Synthesia, Opus, Heygen, Sora)
• AI tools for teaching
• Opportunities for assessment in a world with AI tools

Key takeaway

Here's a summary of the discussion (Thanks to Gemini that summarised the transcript by focussing on AI usage in Learning and Teaching and the suggestions for the way forward}:

The discussion primarily centered around the increasing use of AI, particularly GPT, in academic and professional settings. Key points included:

Benefits of AI:

• Efficiency: Automating tasks like generating text, code, and graphics.
• Accessibility: Breaking down language barriers through translation tools.
• Innovation: Enabling new forms of creative expression and problem-solving.

Challenges and Concerns:

• Bias and Discrimination: AI models can perpetuate biases present in the data they are trained on.
• Misinformation: AI-generated content can spread false or misleading information.
• Ethical Considerations: Issues related to privacy, intellectual property, and the misuse of AI.

Recommendations:

• Education and Training: Promoting digital literacy and critical thinking skills to help individuals navigate the AI landscape.
• Ethical Guidelines: Developing and enforcing ethical guidelines for AI development and use.
• Collaboration: Fostering collaboration between academia, industry, and policymakers to address the challenges and opportunities of AI.

Specific Use Cases in Academia:

• Student Support: AI-powered tutoring systems and personalized learning experiences.
• Research: Accelerating research processes through data analysis and synthesis.
• Teaching and Learning: Creating engaging and interactive learning materials.

Overall, the discussion highlighted the potential of AI to revolutionize education and research, while also acknowledging the need for responsible and ethical use of this powerful

Participant Feedback

Twelve participants attended, including a Director of School, an HoD, senior lecturers, lecturers and associate lecturers. Of the twelve participants, eleven completed the Feedback form. The consolidated feedback: