Tech Tip from ETS: Slow down the information firehose and reap the rewards

Do you find the amount of information coming at you via email, text, and social media overwhelming? Consider silencing your emails and notifications to improve your ability to focus. Similarly, you can establish set times to respond to emails so that you are not constantly switching tasks, which decreases attention span and productivity. USA Today reviews nine apps designed to help improve your focus; the apps can block websites, apps, and emails.

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Writing as Thinking vs. AI as Thinking

Alexis Hart, English Professor and Director of Writing at Allegheny College, shared this writing activity at the GLCA AI workshop in August:

According to writing professor and author of Why They Can’t Write, John Warner, “Writing is thinking” because “the basic…unit of writing” is the idea (144-145, emphasis added).

However, in May 2023, a student at Columbia University, Owen Kichizo Terry, wrote an article in the The Chronicle of Higher Education claiming that when college students are given an essay assignment “it’s very easy to use AI to do the lion’s share of the thinking” and therefore, “writing is no longer much of an exercise in thinking.”

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Tech Tip from ETS: Show your students some love through Canvas

Students appreciate accessible and well-designed Canvas courses. ETS is here to help you amp up your Canvas course through: 
  • Department sessions: Invite us to attend a department meeting to explore new Canvas features, discuss strategies for connecting with majors/minors, and address other areas of interest.
  • Self-Review: Use our guide to evaluate your Canvas course and implement best practices for student engagement and comprehension.

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I’m familiar with AI. Now what?

Are you already pretty familiar with generative AI? Ready to try more advanced prompting? Our friends at the UCF’s Faculty Center for Teaching and Learning, led by Kevin Yee, have created a terrific resource: AI Hacks for Educators. Kevin and his group offer more than 50+ AI uses with detailed prompts that you can copy and edit for your purposes.

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From fear to familiarity

In May, I had a conversation with Adam Weinberg about the use of generative AI and its implications for higher education. During that conversation, I recommended two things:
  1. Read Co-Intelligence by Ethan Mollick, of the Wharton School of Business
  2. “Play” with some form of generative AI for at least 10 hours

When we met last week, Adam shared his enthusiasm for Mollick’s book—he even purchased copies for the entire senior staff!

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