[00:00:00] Hello, I'm your host, Angeline Corvaglia. I'm joined by ilkem Kayican Dipcin, an instructor at Sabanci University in Istanbul, who proactively teaches her students how to use generative AI responsibly. I spoke to ilkem about a survey that she did with her students to find out their viewpoints and concerns about AI., who proactively teaches her students how to use generative AI responsibly. I spoke to ilkem about a survey that she did with her students to find out their viewpoints and concerns about AI.

[00:00:28] That three part series is extremely interesting and will be out in a few weeks. I also took the opportunity to talk to ilkem about a hot topic that's sparking debates in classrooms and homes everywhere: the use of generative AI for schoolwork. There's no doubt about the fact that a significant portion of students are using it, but is it a helpful tool or just another way to cheat?

When you think about what you teach, this is exactly an area that's actually [00:01:00] quite controversial in a lot of areas. If students should be using generative AI or not. Some people think it's cheating or not cheating. I know from you, I think you have a very forward approach and very practical approach. Can you tell us a little bit about what your approach is?

I mean, considering it's about writing, uh, which is very controversial for a lot of parents and teachers. So what are your thoughts? Is it cheating? And how do you approach it? [00:01:30] I'm just asking, like, a lot of people say it's cheating. So, yeah. That's correct. Most of my colleagues and in general in education, which is a fair concern that they have this concern about AI might replace students learning and they might hurt their skills which they will need in the future.

[00:01:56] And I totally understand that. However, on the other hand, I know and I can see that this is a general purpose technology, you know, which is resembled to electricity, internet. So it is for sure from many other research professionals and experts say that this is going to be here. In my course and in my classes, when I share the existence of this artificial intelligence, I say that they [00:02:29] might definitely use it to assist their learning.

Of course, I always talk about and suggest some ethical and responsible use of artificial intelligence. So when it comes to assessment, that's another discussion using artificial intelligence. And remember, in our conversations, I told you about some kind of a negative experience we had about using artificial intelligence in assessment.

But in general, I believe that we need to [00:03:00] introduce artificial intelligence in our classrooms and we share. We share what we know and we can encourage them to start experimenting it so that they can understand the flaws, risks, and ethical problems that artificial intelligence and those models have themselves.

And also I try to scaffold this process in my classrooms. Just step by step, I try to introduce it in the [00:03:30] skills or in the courses that I teach. I actually love that approach. And I think that just thinking about all the risks related to it and thinking about the fact that they use it. We know that they use it and we were all young

for a short, a long time ago. And I just always remember book reports because on very few occasions did I actually like the book that I got to write the book report about. Oh yeah. And I just imagined particular books in [00:04:00] particular, if I had AI. Oh, yeah. that could help me write that book report, there would be nothing between me and that AI to help me write the book report.

So I think banning it or pretending it's not there is not helpful because they're going to use it anyway. So I really love your approach. I need to really point out something very important. Because I'm teaching English as a second language that comes with its own complications. [00:04:30] That's why in my, for example, LinkedIn posts, I always try to address that difference.

When you are trying to design a new material or some activities that you would like to integrate into your writing course, it is always very important who your audience is. For example, most of the students we have because we are English medium instruction university. I mean we are like 90 percent English college in Istanbul.

[00:05:00] It's kind of a foundation university, which means it's a private university and Students who come here know that they will take all their courses in English, but English mostly are their Second language. So when it comes there, I really, and my colleagues who are teaching English for academic purposes, need to know that these people at the same time should continue to develop and improve their language.

[00:05:30] That's why automating their language learning is very risky in our perspective or in our context. I can say. That makes absolute sense, right? Okay, so basically, my example of the book report is not the same thing because it's my native language and it would be actually a disaster if I were learning a second language and I had a generative AI, I write it, right?

Because that's the goal. Yeah. [00:06:00] Oh, yeah. Oh, yeah. Totally. Totally. So, I mean, it's so much important, as you mentioned before, when we introduce the use of generative AI, I mean, I always keep telling this to my students. You might assist your learning. You might have your tutor, as a tutor, that shows you some, you know, assistance and help.

But please don't forget that I need your voice. And whatever you write, you need to be there. [00:06:30] I mean, it needs to be authentic and, this authenticity and your voice has to be in that. So I think that's very important to keep telling to students. I think that's one of the most important things

that I personally am worried about with this expansion of generative AI for the next generation is losing their voice. And I just wanted to ask you what in your experience, did they understand that? [00:07:00] Because I just think back, it's been a while since I was at school, like my first years of university, but I really think I would have taken shortcuts.

I don't know that I would have appreciated what it means. to find your voice, much less to lose it. So that's one of the things I'm really worried about actually. You're right. And I think cheating is a side point. So do you have a feeling that they understand that? Um, that's a really good question because it is very important to communicate [00:07:30] it well enough so that they understand.

I think it is where that human, maybe artificial intelligence collaboration make a lot of sense. sense because I always try to be there for them as also a feedback giver when they write something submit something. I mean, for example, I don't automate my feedback. I want to be there and read their written work and understand their voice, understand [00:08:00] what they try to tell to the reader.

And I think I still have this maybe strategy to be there to give them feedback. So that I try to say, okay, I have been doing this for 15, 20 years and at your level, it is not really easy to say it in this way. Please just tell me what would you like to say here and maybe one-on-one conferences in [00:08:30] office hours even.

I try to build this connection with them and try to communicate or elaborate more what I would like to say. It's not easy. It's not easy to, as you told me and asked, too easy to just finding their voice. It's a journey. It's not very easy. It isn't and at this moment, I think there's a lot of parents that will be listening.

And if I could just give my opinion, my advice on the [00:09:00] best thing that parents can do for their kids once they start using AI is help them understand what it means to have a voice, to find a voice, and to lose a voice, because as I said, for me, I asked the question about cheating. People are talking about cheating, but the whole mindset change that has to happen is that we're learning, in my view, we're learning for the sake of developing. We always have been learning for the sake of developing ourselves, but it's always been like a side thing.

[00:09:30] And as just as parents really make that clear. This is what the next generation needs to understand. That AI will more and more replace the memory. People don't have to… When I was young, I had to remember people's phone numbers. I barely know my own phone now. It was the same with me. Yeah, so the things that people have to remember will change over time.

But the fact that we have to have a voice and know our voice will always be there, independent of what [00:10:00] technology. I totally agree. And yeah, I try to remind this to my students, you know, cognitively, mentally, and we need to, of course, keep our skills. And of course, different development of different skills will change as some skills will be replaced with other skills that we need to develop with the emergence or introduction of artificial intelligence.

[00:10:30] But of course, there are some skills that we All the time need that is very human, like empathy, creativity, flexibility and you know, I think there are some very important skills, human skills that we should keep developing and we can develop them even with the communication with artificial intelligence.

So I, I totally agree. Excellent. Just to close that thought before we move to the survey. [00:11:00] I know some people say this. And the first time I heard it was this big aha moment was AI will make us more human, make us. And I didn't understand that at first, and I think that the essence of that comment is basically in our discussion right now.

So some people hate that comment. I love that comment because I just believe it's so strong that the more we outsource to the machine, we have to realize what can never be replaced by a [00:11:29] person or a machine. And this is what we have to focus, change our focus on. And that’s also a positive way of seeing developments, I think. Proactive. Yeah, that’s what I thought, too. So, I hope you found ilkem's insights as enlightening as I did.

The key takeaway for me is that the more students use AI as a support, the more they must learn to appreciate and proactively work against the risk that it will make them lose [00:12:00] one of the most precious things they have, their voice. So, please let us know what you think. Check out more episodes and subscribe at digi-dominoes dot com.

Thank you so much for listening and thank you ilkem for joining me. Thank you as well to our sponsor Data Girl and Friends. Their mission is to build awareness and foster critical thinking about AI, online safety, privacy, and digital citizenship through fun, engaging, and informative content. [00:12:30] Check them out at data-girl-and-friends.com. Until next time, stay curious and keep learning.