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2.7: What to Watch Out For

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    Using AI Responsibly in the Classroom

    While AI can be a powerful tool for improving efficiency, engagement, and creativity, it’s not without risks. Misuse, overreliance, or unchecked outputs can lead to misinformation, bias, and ethical gray areas—especially in educational settings where trust and transparency matter.

    This section outlines key limitations and common pitfalls to help instructors integrate AI thoughtfully. The goal isn’t to discourage use—but to equip you with the awareness needed to use AI without outsourcing your professional judgment.

    🚫 5 Things to Watch Out For

    1. Hallucinations (Confidently Incorrect Information)

    AI may invent facts, citations, or sources—even when asked for “academic” or “reliable” content.

    Teaching Tip: Always verify any source, claim, or data point before using it in your materials.

    2. Outdated or Biased Outputs

    Language models are trained on snapshots of the internet and may reflect outdated knowledge or cultural bias.

    Teaching Tip: Be especially careful in fields that evolve quickly (e.g., tech, law, public health) or deal with sensitive identities or perspectives.

    3. Overreliance on AI for Instructional Voice

    Relying too heavily on AI to write announcements, feedback, or assignments can lead to a course that feels impersonal or generic.

    Teaching Tip: Use AI to draft—but always add your own tone, empathy, and context.

    4. Student Misuse or Misunderstanding

    Students may assume AI output is always correct or acceptable to submit without revision or citation.

    Teaching Tip: Set clear expectations in your syllabus and model responsible AI use.

    5. Data Privacy and Confidentiality

    Public AI tools (like ChatGPT) may store and learn from input. Entering student information or unpublished work can create FERPA or academic integrity risks.

    Teaching Tip: Avoid sharing sensitive content and follow your institution’s data use guidelines.

    🎓 Why This Matters for Instructors

    • Your role as a critical thinker and ethical guide is more important than ever.
    • Students are watching how you use AI—and learning to form their own habits in the process.
    • Being proactive about potential issues helps create a transparent, inclusive, and trustworthy classroom environment.

    AI is not just a tool—it’s a teaching moment. And like any teaching tool, how you use it makes all the difference.

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    This page titled 2.7: What to Watch Out For is shared under a CC BY 4.0 license and was authored, remixed, and/or curated by .

    This page titled 2.7: What to Watch Out For is shared under a CC BY 4.0 license and was authored, remixed, and/or curated by Pamela Huntington.