Abstract
Librarians are increasingly called upon to provide college- or university-level leadership for artificial intelligence (AI) initiatives. As a result, AI represents an opportunity for librarians to have a meaningful impact on student learning and significantly increase the visibility of librarians as educational leaders. For those librarians that feel that they lack expertise or experience related to AI, however, such expectations may create feelings of vulnerability, resignation, or even resentment.
In this workshop, participants will have an opportunity to explore how they can approach teaching with AI, or leading AI initiatives, through the lens of authenticity (Cranton & Carusetta, 2004; Kreber et al., 2007). Participants will learn about the characteristics of authentic teaching, consider how authenticity relates to vulnerability, and then reflect on how to apply this to their own decision-making processes related to AI. This perspective does not require librarians to whole-heartedly embrace AI, but to make decisions about how they choose to engage with AI based on their own understanding of what it means to be an authentic teacher. It is beneficial and useful to embrace the complexities of teaching and learning in the age of generative AI by embracing our feelings of vulnerability and authenticity.
Learning Outcomes
After completing the workshops, participants will be able to:
-Explain key characteristics associated with “authentic teaching”
-Apply the notion of authentic teaching to their own decision-making processes related to AI
-Identify strategies for supporting an authentic approach to AI at their institutions
Outline
Opening Activity: What does it mean to be an authentic teacher? Participants will respond to this question using an interactive tool, such as Padlet.
Brief Lecture: Facilitators will provide a brief overview of the concept of authentic teaching, including characteristics associated with authentic teaching, and how this connects with vulnerability. Presenters will discuss how this concept relates to making decisions about teaching with AI.
Small group activity: Participants will be divided into groups. Each group will be given a scenario describing an educator’s choices about teaching with AI. Participants will discuss how the educator’s actions align, or do not align, with the idea of authentic teaching, and how feelings of vulnerability may have impacted their decisions. Facilitators will lead a discussion of each group’s findings.
Reflection and Discussion: Participants will have a full group discussion focused on the following questions:
-What is the value of considering the notion of authenticity, and the related notion of vulnerability, when approaching decisions about teaching with AI?
-How can participants apply the content from the workshop to their own decision-making processes related to AI?
-How can participants encourage others on their campus to adopt an approach to AI centered on authenticity?
In summary, this workshop will help participants consider how to make decisions around AI that align with their personal understanding of what it means to be an authentic teacher. While many AI-related trainings are focused on how to use tools, this workshop is unique in that it will encourage participants to reflect on the mindset they adopt related to AI.
References
Cranton, P., & Carusetta, E. (2004). Perspectives on authenticity in teaching. Adult Education Quarterly, 55(1), 5-22.
Kreber, C., Klampfleitner, M., McCune, V., Bayne, S., & Knottenbelt, M. (2007). What do you mean by “authentic”? A comparative review of the literature on conceptions of authenticity in teaching. Adult Education Quarterly, 58(1), 22-43
