Ben Iuliano, Department of Natural Sciences
Tags: critical assessment of Gen AI, Gen AI literacy, scientific literature, natural sciences, group discussion, reflective structured dialogue
Prof. Iuliano’s Description
This assignment is designed to encourage students to reflect upon how AI chatbots may help or hinder learning and scholarship, and to familiarize them with academic literature. It could be easily adapted to a variety of other courses or disciplines where peer-reviewed journal articles are commonly used.
When deployed in my course, this assignment followed a brief lecture on the structure of scientific articles and the academic publishing process. In a first phase, students participate in a Reflective Structured Dialogue (RSD) on AI use in the classroom. RSD is a discussion method developed by the organization Essential Partners to facilitate thoughtful speaking, careful listening, and effective communication on polarizing topics. This dialogue encouraged students to start thinking about the role of AI in education and share personal experiences.
In the second phase, students worked independently on a guided activity to get first-hand experience reading scientific articles and using AI for common research tasks (e.g. summary, citation). If time permits, I recommend using both phases (sequentially in the same class session or over consecutive sessions), but they could also be used independently.
Course Information
Prof. Iuliano’s course, ENV 3009: Conservation Biology and Sustainable Development, focuses on the theory and practice of conserving biological diversity. Lecture, lab, and field activities involve defining and measuring biodiversity, understanding the importance of biodiversity and the anthropogenic mechanisms that result in species extinction, and exploring socio-ecological strategies for the conservation of biodiversity from genes to entire ecosystems. Students also examine how conservation biology is related to broader efforts for sustainable development, including asking under what conditions sustainability is a useful scientific concept.
Downloads
Details the full lesson for instructors.
These should be printed out and cut so that each student has a copy of the purpose statement and dialogue question.
These can be used as a printed handout or (preferably) input into the course learning management system.
Ben Iuliano holds a PhD in Integrative Biology and an MSc in Agroecology from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. His teaching and research are concerned with the sustainable management of human-modified landscapes to promote the mutual flourishing of people and the rest of nature. In particular, the way we farm has profound consequences for the environment and biodiversity. Ben’s work is concerned with 1) the mechanisms by which land use shapes biotic communities, or how agriculture affects biodiversity 2) the ecological interactions among crops and associated species, or how biodiversity affects agriculture, and 3) the social, economic, and political systems in which farming occurs, or how people interact with agricultural landscapes. As an instructor, Ben seeks to creatively integrate multi-disciplinary perspectives on these topics in order to equip students with the tools required to analyze and confront humanity’s most pressing challenges.