ASSETT Newsletter - March 2023

By Karen Crouch, Jacie Moriyama, Michael Schneider, and Blair Young

Intrigue. Suspicion. Excitement. Fear.  No matter how you feel about ChatGPT, a chatbot developed by Open AI, that has all of higher education talking — and some, wringing their hands — it’s here to stay. And, whether in quick adaptive bursts, or slow, resistant adoption, ChatGPT will change how we teach, learn, and work. Our team at ASSETT is “ChatGPT curious”. So, soon after its release, we organized a panel of diverse voices ranging from undergraduate students to research professors from the College of Arts & Sciences to share their perspectives on the impact ChatGPT is having on higher education. 

[video:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jpW8hWJz_Uc]

By Beth Osnes, ASSETT Faculty Advisor

Looking for an assignment that Chat GPT can’t do? To ensure that our students — and not AI technology — are demonstrating engagement with class material, we can design assignments that creatively utilize other types of technology. An example of this is, Green Suits Your Fashion, a climate-related non-disposable student project (an assignment that lives beyond the four walls of a classroom) that took place in the spring of 2021 with an upper-division undergraduate course, Creative Climate Communication, which focused on creatively communicating sustainable fashion. For this assignment students were asked to visually communicate, within their circle of influence, how sustainable fashion can positively impact the environment and be aspirational to others.

The 2023-26 ASSETT Innovation Incubator is currently accepting idea submissions! Learn more about the Innovation Incubator — a program that provides funding and human resource support to interdisciplinary teams of students, faculty, and staff to progress their ideas for teaching and learning with technology — and how to submit an idea. Submit a draft idea on our open submission platform by March 9, 2023 so that others may add generative comments to your idea or make a bid to join your team. Final idea submissions are due on April 11, 2023.

The ASSETT Excellence in Teaching with Technology Award is presented to an Arts & Sciences faculty member of any rank (including Graduate Part-Time Instructors) who has been nominated by their peers and/or students. Nominees should have a record of excellence in teaching with technology, as well as demonstrated commitment and leadership in furthering ASSETT's mission of advancing teaching and learning within CU's College of Arts & Sciences. Nominations are open until 11:59 pm on April 17, 2023.

Join us on Zoom every other Friday starting Mar 10-May 5

Join us for an undergraduate student panel discussion addressing issues around technology, mental health, inclusivity, and well-being on campus. Our goal is to provide a safe platform for attendees to contribute new ideas and perspectives surrounding academic success.

Join us on Monday, Apr 3, 2023 from 1:00 p.m.-2: p.m. at The Center for Teaching and Learning, CASE E-390. All are welcome to attend! 

Light refreshments and snacks will be provided. 

Registration is encouraged but not required to attend. 

This event is hosted by the Center for Teaching and Learning and the Arts & Sciences Support of Education Through Technology (ASSETT) groups.