PDA: Empowering Students to Use AI Tools Ethically and Effectively

SCELC partners with peer library consortia around the country to form the Professional Development Alliance (PDA)! The PDA is dedicated to sharing our professional development opportunities with other alliance members. This new initiative multiplies the number and variety of online professional development opportunities available to the member libraries of each participating consortium. PDA webinars are freely available to librarians and staff at all SCELC Member and Affiliate Institutions.

Session Details:

How can students use ChatGPT, Google Bard, Microsoft Bing, Elicit.org, scite.ai, Perplexity.ai, and other AI tools ethically and effectively?

This webinar will cover the importance of digital literacy in the context of AI interaction. Teaching students how to evaluate information generated by AI tools can help them understand the importance of source evaluation, and will help them not only in college but also in their daily lives.

Although the focus has been on ChatGPT and students - utilizing it to write essays, students can use AI tools to develop their semester schedule, edit an essay, understand a complex topic, and research esoteric fields. Attendees will receive practical advice and learn how academic librarians can foster understanding of AI tools, their ethical use, and how students can effectively utilize them to navigate the halls of education.

Series Title: Nurturing Responsible Use of AI Tools In Academic Libraries
In today's rapidly evolving technological landscape, artificial intelligence has become an integral part of our daily lives, transforming the way we interact with information and each other. One obvious example is ChatGPT, a sophisticated language model that can assist users with a wide range of tasks and answer diverse queries. As AI becomes more prevalent in academic settings, it is crucial for academic libraries to teach students how to engage with this technology responsibly and ethically.

This series aims to equip librarians with the knowledge and tools necessary to leverage ChatGPT, Google Bard, Bing Chat, Perplexity.ai, scite.ai, elicit.org, and other AI tools effectively while being mindful of the potential implications and ethical considerations involved.

Led by Denice Lewis, Research & Instruction Librarian for Engineering & Science at Wake Forest University, the webinar series will involve thought-provoking discussion and hands-on instruction that explores the responsible use of AI and emphasizes its educational value.

Participants will gain insights into how different AI tools work, their strengths and weaknesses, and examples of how to use each tool responsibly. By understanding capabilities in AI tools, attendees can use the technology more effectively and recognize its potential limitations.