The Universities of Wisconsin’s Office of Online and Professional Learning have launched a new optional course for students called “AI Literacy for Students.” This course was launched at River Falls on Feb. 17, by an email sent out by Interim Provost and Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs Wesley Chaplin.
The Universities of Wisconsin said in its statement about AI policies that “AI is not a replacement for human insight – it’s an accelerator of it.”
The “AI Literacy for Students” course is self paced, ungraded, and not for credit. The course includes four different modules to give a general overview on AI. The goal of the course is to introduce students to AI, give them more information about AI, and teach them how to use AI properly in educational and professional settings.
Ryan Anderson, Senior Director of Instructional Design and Media at the Office of Online and Professional Learning said “The Universities of Wisconsin want all of its students to be AI literate and prepared for emerging technology even as a UW education provides the durable skills such as critical thinking, adaptability, judgment, and communication that last a lifetime and transcend careers. We also want students to understand the best uses, and some of the downsides, of using AI.”
Student Carter Epley, who completed the course had problems with some of the material in the course “The course says to ask AI for advice, not complete the entire assignment, as you wouldn’t have your friend write your entire assignment. But I’m not friends with a computer. Those are not the same thing. The course says if you’re using this tool, you should follow these rules and be good about it. But it’s just easier to not use the tool.”
Anderson said that “We know students are currently using AI. We want to make sure they are AI literate and understand both best uses and some of the dangers of using AI. We want them to use AI safely.”
Epley also questioned who the course is designed for, as its optional nature makes it so few students are likely to learn the information offered in the course.