APL Faculty presents at Online Teaching Conference with CTLD Staff

Applied Physics Lab (APL) faculty member Amir K. Saeed, recently joined members of the Center for Teaching and Learning Design (CTLD) team in Orlando, FL to share the findings of EP’s Generative AI committee for AI use and policy development. As the faculty lead of the ethical and appropriate use sub-committee, Saeed was able to discuss the advantages, as well as the concerns, of AI use within courses with conference attendees from his perspective. Additionally, he shared his personally created “Rapid Response” and “First Pass” automated grading AI Assistant chatbots currently under development for his course Algorithms for Data Science. The Rapid Response chatbot is trained on course material on a module-by-module basis with the goal of assisting students in finding answers regarding module content and providing additional practice problem sets. In this scenario, the chatbot works as an initial point of entry for assistance to students, who can then reach out to the course TAs & instructors for more difficult concepts and questions. The “First Pass” chatbot determines if certain rubric criteria has been met by the student.
Saaed’s expenses to present at this national conference in support of teaching and learning were covered by the Faculty Forward Advancement Award (FFAA). FFAA is a program designed to support the professional growth and development of faculty members interested in the advancement of teaching and learning by providing financial assistance to cover attendance costs. This award helps faculty stay current with the latest trends and best practices on teaching and learning in higher education, which in turn benefits students and the Whiting School of Engineering.
For more information or to submit an application, please visit https://facultyforward.jhu.edu/fellowship/ff-advancement-award/ .