This course/webinar aims to provide participants with a practical understanding of Generative AI (GenAI) as a technology. The focus will be on how GenAI works, the opportunities it presents, and the technical and pedagogical challenges it may pose. The course is designed to equip participants with the knowledge and skills to discuss and plan the use of GenAI in teaching at Aarhus University.

Learning outcome

The overarching goal is for participants to be able to assess and discuss the role of GenAI in their own practice after the course. Specifically, participants will:

• Gain a general understanding of what generative AI is and become familiar with different types of GenAI.
• Learn about the technical principles behind large language models such as Copilot, ChatGPT, and Mistral.
• Identify the strengths and limitations of using GenAI in relation to their own teaching practice.
• Receive inspiration for how GenAI can be applied in teaching at Aarhus University.

Content

The course lasts 2 hours and the webinar lasts 1 hour. Both the course and webinar consists of short presentations, demonstrations, and opportunities for questions and discussion. The agenda includes:

• Introduction to GenAI: What is it, and how does it work?
• How the technology works: Training and training data.
• Use cases in university teaching:
  • For educators
  • For students
• Challenges of academic use of GenAI:
  • Cognitive considerations
  • Administrative considerations
  • Ethical considerations
• Wrap-up:
  • Concluding questions
  • Reflection on next steps in participants’ own practice