Category: Generative AI

Generative AI guidance and advice: Update

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Library and Learning Services, Academic Registry, and UndebAber are collaborating on Generative AI guidance and advice.

Following approval at the recent Education and Student Experience Committee, we are pleased to share these resources with you ready for next academic year. 

  1. A Statement on the use of Generative AI

This statement outlines the principles and approach that AU intends to use for Generative AI across all its operations. 

  1. Guidance for students on using Generative AI

This document provides guidance and advice to students on how they might want to use Generative AI as a study tool. This document uses a traffic light system approach to alert students to the amount of caution they might want to apply in its use.

  1. Generative AI e-submission template statement

A statement has been added to the Blackboard course template for 2025-26 Courses providing advice and guidance for students on acceptable use of Generative AI and where to get support and help.

  1. Generative AI Assessment Learning Object Repository Statements

You can copy Generative AI assessment statements into your Blackboard course to communicate to students the acceptable use of Generative AI on the assessment. See our blogpost for further information on how to do this.

  1. A Generative AI Tool Use Statement

Designed by the Department of Law and Criminology, and already being used by some departments, this amended Tool Use statement allows students to outline how they have used Generative AI in their assessments. Students fill out the form and insert the tool use statement into their word document before submission.

The tool use statement can be downloaded from our webpage and uploaded to Blackboard.

There is a dedicated webpage for Generative AI advice and guidance where we place our support materials and advice.

We have consulted widely with colleagues and students on this matter, and we’d like to thank those who have helped shape this guidance.

Please direct staff enquiries to elearning@aber.ac.uk or contact your subject librarian.

Generative AI assessment statements available in Blackboard Learning Object Repository

WordPress User [jbw] Blackboard, Generative AI, Technical Updates Leave a comment
Image of Blackboard content area with a Generative AI tool use statement added

We’re pleased to announce that Generative AI Assessment Statements are now available in the Blackboard Learning Object Repository.

This is part of the work that Library and Learning Services are undertaking in collaboration with UndebAber and Academic Registry.

The aim of this work is to make it clear to students the expectations regarding their engagement and use of Generative AI in learning and teaching.

There are three statements available in the Learning Object Repository:

  • No Generative AI Tool use for this assessment
  • Some Generative AI Tool use for this assessment
  • Generative AI Tool use expected for this assessment

Each of the statements gives advice and signposts students to additional support.

Colleagues can copy these statements into the relevant area of the course. As acceptable levels of use of Generative AI vary between individual assessments, it’s recommended that the statements are copied into the relevant assessment folder.

For further information see: How do I add an item from Blackboard’s Learning Object Repository to my course?

In addition to the Generative AI Assessment Statements, a Generative AI Tool Use Statement is also available. This statement has been developed by colleagues in the Department of Law and Criminology and gives students the opportunity to outline how they have used Generative AI in their assignments.

If you have any questions about using the Learning Object Repository, please contact elearning@aber.ac.uk.

Weekly Resource Roundup – 18/3/2025

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Weekly Resource Roundup, Dr Mary Jacob, Lecturer - Learning and Teaching, Aberystwyth University

As leader of our PGCTHE programme, I keep an eye out for resources to help staff teach effectively. These include webinars, podcasts, online toolkits, publications and more. Topics include active learning, online/blended teaching, accessibility/inclusion, and effective learning design based on cognitive science. Below I’ve listed items that came to my attention in the past week. In the interest of clarity, our policy is to show the titles and descriptions in the language of delivery. 

Online events and webinars

March

April

May

June

July

Resources and publications

Other

  • Call for proposals (open dates) Unfiltered by EmpowerED: A Podcast Series where educators share unedited stories of inspiration and challenge
  • Call for proposals (open dates) Future Teacher Webinars
  • Monthly series European Network for Academic Integrity, ENAI monthly webinars free open webinars on various topics related to academic integrity.

Please see the Staff Training booking page for training offered by the LTEU and other Aberystwyth University staff. I hope you find this weekly resource roundup useful. If you have questions or suggestions, please contact our team at lteu@aber.ac.uk. Social media: X.com, BSky.

Mini Conference: Blackboard Exemplary Practice: Materials Available

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Happy New Year!

On Wednesday 18 December, the Learning and Teaching Enhancement Unit hosted an online mini conference taking a look at Blackboard Exemplary Practice. With over 40 attendees, and 5 sessions, it was one of our biggest mini conferences.

The materials from the event are now available on our webpages.

We were delighted to welcome Carol Chatten from Edge Hill University and Robert Farmer from Northampton University to showcase their award-winning courses.

Carol’s course is designed for medical professionals completing their placements. Robert’s course introduced undergraduates to critical thinking skills. Both courses have been awarded Blackboard’s Exemplary Course Programme Award.

We were then joined by Dom Gore and Richard Gibbons from Anthology (Blackboard). They gave an overview of the new developments that are coming in Blackboard, as well as introducing attendees to the new AI Conversations tool. We have enabled AI Conversations and have updated our Blackboard AI Design Assistant training. Take a look at our blogpost for further information.

Finally, Law and Criminology’s Lauren Harvey, and School of Education’s Panna Karlinger gave tours of their exemplary courses. Both submitted applications to last year’s Exemplary Course Award. The deadline for 2025 is Friday 31 January 2025. Further information is available on our blogpost.

NEW: AI Conversations in Blackboard

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The latest AI Design Assistant feature has been enabled in Blackboard.

AI Conversations provides a chat bot for students to interact with as part of a learning activity.

There are two AI Conversation options:

  • Socratic questioning
    • This encourages students to think critically through continuous questioning prompts
  • Role play
    • This allows students to play out a scenario with the AI persona designed and created by the instructor

Once set up, students can engage in these activities to further their knowledge and understanding of the topic.

Students type a response to the questions posed by the AI chat bot. At the end of the activity, students respond to a reflective question to outline how the conversation helped with their understanding of the topic.

We will be showcasing AI Conversations at our online Mini Conference on Wednesday 18 December. Further information is available on our blogpost.

Our E-learning Enhanced: Introduction to the AI Design Assistant training has also been updated to include AI Conversations. You can book your place on the course on the Events and Training booking system.

For further information, see Blackboard’s AI Conversation guidance.

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Staff Workshop on Artificial Intelligence

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Information Services is pleased to announce a special half-day event looking at ways in which Artificial Intelligence (AI) can be used in academic contexts.

The event will be held on Thursday 11 April between 09:00-13:00 in the International Politics Main Hall.  

You can sign up for the event on the Session Booking page.

The aim of the event is to look across the 2 academic functions:

  • Research
  • Learning and Teaching

And to reflect on ways in which AI can be used to enhance these activities, increase productivity, and save time.

We’d also like to explore the challenges and obstacles that you face in using AI in these contexts and establish ways in which the University can best support you.

The session will be interactive, with participants encouraged to share their own experiences and examples of best practice. All colleagues are welcome to attend – from those who have been using AI for a while to those who haven’t used it before.

Attendees are welcome to join the session throughout the morning and a timetable for those who have registered will be circulated closer to the event.

Generative AI Discussion Forum

WordPress User [mhj] Generative AI, Uncategorised Leave a comment

We have just created a new series of sessions open to all staff and students interested in talking about Generative AI in education.

Since January 2023, Generative AI (Gen AI) has shaken up the world of higher education. The landscape is still rapidly changing and posing challenges for all of us. In response to this challenge, we set up a Gen AI Working Group, which published guidance for staff in March and updated the UAP Regulations. We run regular training sessions with guidance for staff and contributed videos for students (AI and your studies) as part of the Academic Engagement Team’s LibGuide Utilising AI in the Library: A Student’s Guide.

We want to bring more voices into the discussion, so we have set up a series of forums around Generative AI, open to all interested staff and students. We especially encourage students to come along. Staff can register through our CPD Booking System. Students can join by emailing the LTEU.

  • 17-10-2023 15:00 – 16:00
  • 14-11-2023 10:00 – 11:00
  • 07-12-2023 16:00 – 17:00

    The aim of the Gen AI Discussion Forum is to exchange experiences about what is happening on the ground in our own areas, collect suggestions for the Working Group to consider, and answer any questions you may have.

    Please note that this is not a training session but a facilitated group discussion where everyone can exchange ideas. During the meeting, we will ask you to share your experiences, questions, and suggestions.

    We look forward to talking with you!

    Weekly Resource Roundup – 11/8/2023

    WordPress User [mhj] Generative AI, Weekly Resource Roundup Leave a comment

    As leader of our PGCTHE programme, I keep an eye out for resources to help staff teach effectively. These include webinars, podcasts, online toolkits, publications and more. Topics include active learning, online/blended teaching, accessibility/inclusion, and effective learning design based on cognitive science. Below I’ve listed items that came to my attention in the past week. In the interest of clarity, our policy is to show the titles and descriptions in the language of delivery. 

    Online events and webinars

    September

    Resources and publications

    Resources on Artificial Intelligence

    Other resources

    Other

    • Monthly series European Network for Academic Integrity, ENAI monthly webinars free open webinars on various topics related to academic integrity.
    • Subscribe to SEDA’s mailing list for email discussions about educational development and emerging teaching practices. This is one of the sources I use when identifying useful material for the Roundup.
    • Follow University of Birmingham’s Higher Education Futures institute HEFi on Twitter for daily posts with links to pedagogical literature and more. This is one of the sources I use when identifying useful material for the Roundup.
    • Join the #LTHEchat on Twitter Wednesday nights for one hour of lively discussion about learning and teaching in HE. I often find out about good resources for the Roundup from the chat.

    Please see the Staff Training booking page for training offered by the LTEU and other Aberystwyth University staff. I hope you find this weekly resource roundup useful. If you have questions or suggestions, please contact our team at lteu@aber.ac.uk. You may also wish to follow my Twitter feed, Mary Jacob L&T.

    Generative AI Discussion Forum

    WordPress User [mhj] Generative AI Leave a comment
    Futuristic image of students sitting at desks working on computers. The image was generated by Mary Jacoob using artificial intelligence on the NightCafe Studio website.
    AI-generated image created by Mary Jacob using NightCafe Studio.

    We have just created a new series of sessions open to all staff and students interested in talking about Generative AI in education.

    Since January 2023, Generative AI (Gen AI) has shaken up the world of higher education. The landscape is still rapidly changing and posing challenges for all of us.

    In response to this challenge, we set up a Gen AI Working Group, which published guidance for staff in March and updated the UAP Regulations. We run regular training sessions with guidance for staff. The Working Group is currently preparing student-facing guidance for start of next term.

    We want to bring more voices into the discussion, so we have set up a new series of forums around Generative AI, open to all interested staff and students. We especially encourage students to come along. Staff can register through our CPD Booking System. Students can join by emailing the LTEU. The next two sessions are held online:

    • 21-08-2023 14:00-15:00
    • 15-09-2023 10:00-11:00

    The aim of the Gen AI Discussion Forum is to exchange experiences about what is happening on the ground in our own areas, collect suggestions for the Working Group to consider, and answer any questions you may have.

    Please note that this is not a training session but a facilitated group discussion where everyone can exchange ideas. During the meeting, we will ask you to share your experiences, questions, and suggestions.

    We look forward to talking with you!