Why I'm Recommending the AI Pedagogy Project to Faculty and Students

Screenshot of AIpedagogyproject.org

If you haven't checked out the AI Pedagogy Project by metaLAB (at) Harvard, you should. My AI misinformation campaign assignment was among the first 16 assignment ideas selected for inclusion in the repository when the site launched. That reason alone makes AIPP the number one educational website of all time according to my parents. Still not impressed? Here are a few other reasons why the site is worth a look.

The assignment repository is practical and accessible.

There’s a high level of consistency across all of the assignment summaries that makes them easy to browse. Each one includes a short title, summary, and clickable keyword list, and the layout is easy to scan for key information. The full assignment descriptions are clear and succinct, with many providing step-by-step instructions and guiding questions for students.

The AI Starter section is an ideal intro for faculty and students alike.

The materials here are concise but still include carefully curated links for those who want to dive deeper. For example, under the section titled, "Incorporating AI Into Your Teaching," you'll find a link to an article titled, "Eighteen pitfalls to beware of in AI journalism." This article is a great resource for fostering thoughtful discussions around AI tools and AI-related news.

I was also happy to see that the AI Starter page addresses a variety of ethical issues. It includes fundamental ethical concerns such as bias and accuracy, but it doesn't stop there. It also (briefly) acknowledges the negative environmental impact of generative-AI tools and concerns related to copyright and ownership of training material.

The LLM Tutorial section didn’t put me to sleep.

The site’s intro to Large Language Models is divided into short, manageable steps. It allows users to enter suggested prompts in ChatGPT and analyze the results all on the same screen while they complete the tutorial.

The site is mobile-friendly.

The site is easy to use on desktop and mobile screens. This is particularly important if you’re looking for resources that students can easily navigate and read on their phones.

The UI/UX design is lovely.

The muted tones of the images! The ample negative space! The dashed lines that add a touch of handmade whimsy! The accordions that keep the Starter page from feeling too overwhelming! I could go on and on. The site is a pleasure to interact with all around and, as a UX instructor, that gives me hope.

The impact of AI on the interface-design process might require me to shift what I teach in my courses over time. But there is clearly a human element of care and attention to detail involved in the design of this site—from the curation of resources and the chunking of information to the choice of delicate-but-readable Public Sans as the font for the body text. (I don’t know about you, but I’m a sucker for a looptail lowercase “g.”) All of this leaves me feeling optimistic that we humans will continue to play an important role in making the world a more beautiful, accessible place.