Assistant Professor of Psychology Feng Guo has incorporated artificial intelligence into his spring Psychology 2010 course, Introductory Statistics in Psychology.
The course focuses on descriptive and inferential statistics within the context of psychology and other social sciences toward a comprehensive understanding of statistical methods and their applications. Emphasizing computer analysis of data, the course covers a broad range of topics including traditional and modern descriptive techniques, correlation and regression analysis, probability concepts, inferential techniques and the use of state-of-the-art computer programs for data analysis.
Guo’s students are being introduced to Google Colab and ChatGPT and guided through the process of becoming familiar with these tools. “After ensuring that all students have access to both tools and are comfortable with their basic operations,” he said, “each student is provided a copy of an interactive Python notebook.”
The notebook contains pre-written Python computer code snippets and accompanying questions. Students paired up to collaboratively tackle a series of problems within the shared notebook. They used ChatGPT to understand the code and answer the assigned problems. The exercise’s four sets of questions corresponded to four distinct code blocks provided.
“To maintain a cohesive learning pace and ensure no one is left behind,” Guo said, “the students are guided to address the questions sequentially.”
Guo reviewed each question before students progressed to the next.
The primary objective of the AI-integrated assignment is to enhance students’ understanding of statistical concepts through practical, hands-on experience with contemporary AI tools, Guo said. In a post-activity survey, he asked students for their feedback on the experience.
“The activity was well-received, with students expressing satisfaction and a motivation to utilize these novel tools in the future,” he said, “Another point, perhaps somewhat reassuring, is that despite finding the AI tool extremely useful, students still believe that the teacher’s role is irreplaceable and crucial to their learning.”
Some students raised concerns about ethical issues in the use of AI tools.
“Although the potential for cheating presents a significant challenge in the educational use of AI tools, it’s important to recognize their positive aspects,” Guo said. “We must acknowledge the power and benefits these tools offer, as well as the essential need for students to master them to remain competitive in today’s job market.”
College of Arts and Sciences Dean Pam Riggs-Gelasco funded Guo’s proposal to incorporate AI into an assignment with $250 for the development of materials and the enhancement of teaching aids.