Dr. Yi Yin (Assistant Professor, Sociology Program) designed the innovative AI-SOC Odyssey Project and aimed to enhance students' digital literacy and critical skills. The project is structured into five parts, each providing hands-on experiences with both human intelligence and AI:
- Kickoff (Low Stakes): Students start by creating an account, which helps them ease into the project with minimal pressure.
- Preparation (Low-Medium Stakes): Students work on the prompts with rationales to engage with the AI-generated essay.
- Enjoyment (Medium Stakes): Students are expected to assess the AI-generated products based on five criteria: structure, relevance and clarity, accuracy, depth, and a fifth criterion created by the students themselves.
- Summary Report (Medium-High Stakes): Students read and analyze every assessment.
- Sharing & Learning (High Stakes): Students will present their findings and key takeaways. This improves their critical thinking about AI, education, self, and society.
Student Experiences and Feedback
Typically, weekly quizzes focus on assessing students' understanding of course content. However, I set aside a few of these to prioritize students' mental and emotional health. These quizzes consist of reflective, open-ended questions such as:
- A post-survey is distributed to gather students' learning experiences, such as engagement levels, improvements in digital literacy, and format preferences (group vs. individual).
- Sparked curiosity about peers' work
- Improved analytical skills
- Promoted a collective learning community
- Fostered in-depth critical thinking
Challenges and Solutions
- Challenges:
- Lack of prior experience
- Initial anxiety
- Solutions:
- Provide ample time and guidance
- Start with low-stakes activities
- Send individual emails to support students
Challenges and Solutions
- For Students:
- Highlights the importance of human intelligence alongside AI
- Guides ethical and responsible use of generative AI
- Encourages critical evaluation of AI-generated projects
- For Educators:
- Promotes reflection on AI in education and society
- Advances teaching pedagogies with real-world AI applications
- Prepares students to thrive in a technology-driven world
The AI-SOC Odyssey Project supports student success through both individual and collaborative efforts. Students interact with AI to generate essays and critically assess AI-generated work, enhancing their analytical skills and critical thinking. They submit their assessments for peer analysis in summary reports, fostering insightful conversations about AI, the real world, education, and society. Using generative AI improves their digital literacy and keeps them updated with ongoing advancements. This blend of individual and group work with AI contributes significantly to their professional growth.
