Teaching and AI

At Colgate, the role of artificial intelligence in faculty teaching, scholarship, and creative work is a faculty member's individual choice. 

As teachers, faculty are empowered to create educational experiences that best serve our diverse student body and enhance our rich curricular offerings. Individual faculty approaches as to whether AI is incorporated into their pedagogy vary considerably, given course goals, content, levels, and instructor preference. 

Faculty are asked to be very clear with their students about any expectations regarding the use or prohibition of digital tools, including generative AI tools.

Resources and Guidance

If you’d like to explore AI’s use in your coursework and pedagogy, review the resources curated by colleagues at the Center for Learning, Teaching, and Research, and Information Technology Services.

What is generative AI?

Generative AI is a type of artificial intelligence that uses machine learning models to create new content — like text, imagery, and videos — based on a prompt. Once generative AI tools are fed and trained on datasets they learn how to form new content by identifying patterns and creating new variations based on those patterns.

This technology has been around for many years, but recently it's been newly simplified and made accessible to the mainstream.

Exploring generative AI tools
  • Unsure where to start? ITS holds a series of events inviting the campus community to explore various AI tools. Keep your eye out on the events calendar.
  • ITS has reviewed and compiled a list of some of the most popular generative AI tools that may be useful in educational settings. Please note some tools listed are not allowed or are discouraged in specific courses, and assignments.
  • Check out these recommended self-directed tutorials from LinkedIn Learning. These LAI-curated videos are free.
Teaching and learning resources

This small curated collection of quality resources to assist faculty in exploring the pedagogical implications and possible uses of generative AI technology in education. 

These resources encourage consideration of a range of issues and provide examples and resources to support experimentation.

Course-based consultations

ITS offers consultations for faculty members interested in course-based AI uses. Request a Consultation.

Communicating with students about AI in coursework

As you think about the possible use of generative AI in your courses, it is important to clearly communicate guidelines for appropriate use to your students, and whether or not you’ll permit students to use generative AI tools.

The CLTR has created a sample syllabus statement to help you get started: Course-Based Use of Generative AI (Syllabus Statement Guidance)

Academic dishonesty

Refer to Colgate’s Academic Honor Code and Academic Dishonesty policy. Instructors should be as clear as possible in their syllabi, and in speaking with their classes, about how students may or may not use generative AI in their work.

If you have any questions or concerns contact Kim Taylor at ktaylor@colgate.edu or Doug Johnson at djohnson@colgate.edu.

Research AI, and using AI to research
  • Visit Researching and Applications with AI to learn about faculty conducting research in AI, AI applications that may assist in your research, and to learn about funding support.
  • ITS offers 1:1 and small group consultations to identify needs and support the development of project ideas, including those that use generative AI. Request a Consultation.
Protect private and confidential data

Avoid entering confidential data, per the University’s Data Categorization Policy, into AI tools. This includes but is not limited to non-public finance, human resources and medical information, and student records. 

Generative AI tools using default settings may not be private and could expose sensitive data to unauthorized parties.

Connect with ITS before purchasing AI tools

To ensure the safety and protection of Colgate’s data, consult with ITS before procuring internal or external AI tools for use on the Colgate network or Colgate devices. ITS will ensure the tool meets appropriate privacy and security protections.