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GenAI: I just want to try something out

Get to Know GenAI 

Teaching and learning in the age of Generative AI (GenAI) is a shared responsibility, and UT offers plenty of starting points: 

OIT: Introductory pages | Workshops 

UT Libraries: GenAI LibGuide 

Digital Learning: Asynchronous course 

Judith Anderson Herbert Writing Center: Faculty support page 

Try a Small-Scale Activity 

You don’t need to overhaul your whole course yet!  It’s worth starting small, integrating local, small-scale activities here and there, to get acquainted with students’ capabilities and the technology itself! 

View the Quick Start Tips Here

Perspective: Treat GenAI as a Bridge to Other People 

You may have heard about the human-AI sandwich, or the “human in the loop”; these ideas boil down to one important precept:  GenAI will serve you and your students better as a bridge to other people, and not a destination. Here are a few strategies to lay the groundwork for that relationship:  

For Students:

  • Prepare activities that use GenAI to foster conversations among students and between students and you.  If students receive feedback on their work from GenAI, have them discuss it with one another in a peer-review process or with you as part of a drafting or grading process.
  • If students use GenAI to help them think through how to respond to an assignment, have them articulate to one another how much they trust its responses and why.   
  • GenAI can’t connect people with other people, we have evidence that it may shortchange them on their learning (Darvishi et al., 2024) and may have long term emotional consequences (Crawford et al., 2024).  

For Yourself:

GenAI can offer you useful ways to get feedback on your ideas or work, but chances are, you can find an expert right here at UT, on almost any topic, someone who would welcome the chance to teach you about their area of expertise.   

  • Try using GenAI to hone the questions you want to ask, so you can put your best foot forward—and then go forge a new connection with someone right here on campus!  
  • Resource: UTK Experts Guide

It may be tempting to use GenAI to handle repetitive tasks like answering emails or grading low-stakes assignments. While AI can be helpful, such as drafting a polite response when you would rather say “it’s in the syllabus,” remember that every student question is an opportunity to connect.  

  • Try using GenAI to refine your tone or strengthen course announcements, but treat student questions as chances to start meaningful conversations.   

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