Online Teaching Interview: AI in Higher Education
John Thompson, CAI Innovator in Residence Fellow and U-M instructor, shares why we should embrace artificial intelligence
John Thompson thinks academics should be on the leading edge of artificial intelligence. The world is changing, and if instructors want to prepare their students for future careers, they need to incorporate AI into their courses. As an instructor with the Ross School of Business and School of Information, Thompson crafts his instruction so his learners aren’t just reaching AI literacy — they’re becoming AI fluent, a distinction employers are seeking.
In his conversation with Jeremy Nelson, chief technology officer at the Center for Academic Innovation, Thompson shares some of the assignments and approaches he’s used in his residential and online courses, and how he responds to learners or instructors who are resistant to utilizing AI as a tool. He pushes back on the notion that AI makes us lazy thinkers. Instead, he wants learners to see it’s just a tool that can offload their mundane tasks, giving them more capacity for creativity and critical thinking.
Please enjoy the fourth edition of our Online Teaching Interview series, and explore the resources below to help you navigate AI in your instruction.
Resources
GenAI Workshop Series — A series of hour-long workshops available on-demand that cover the basics of GenAI and its applications in academic and everyday settings. Those who complete the courses, which are slotted into beginner, intermediate, and advanced levels, are eligible to earn GenAI badges.
Teaching with GenAI — A self-paced course for U-M instructors and staff seeking skills on integrating GenAI tools in their teaching practice. Those completing all eight modules receive a Teaching with GenAI badge.
Additional ITS and U-M resources:
- GenAI 101 An Overview of Generative AI (self-paced microlearning course)
- Generative AI Prompt Literacy (self-paced course)
- U-M Generative AI Website
- ITS AI Services and Roadmap at U-M
- Generative AI on the Academic Technology@Michigan website
- Getting Started with Generative Artificial Intelligence: U-M Instructor Guide
- Course Policies & Syllabi Statements
- Learning with GenAI
