Smeal Academy Newsletter

Smeal Academy Special Edition: Anthology Ally Information for Faculty and Staff who use Canvas

You may have noticed red, green, and yellow icons and the letter A with an arrow beside it in Canvas pages for your Fall 2023 courses. The University recently turned on a Canvas feature called Ally. Ally supports Penn State’s mission to create inclusive learning environments. The tool helps improve access for all students while guiding faculty and course admins to make content more inclusive.

Ally integrates into Canvas and provides students with the ability to tailor their learning experience to their needs and preferences. When they click on the “A” Alternative Format Link, students can open and download course materials in alternative formats, such as HTML, ePub, audio, language translation, and electronic braille. Below is an example of what students (and you) see when you click on the Alternative format link:

Ally provides faculty with a tool that spots accessibility barriers for students and provides guidance on how to improve the usability of course content.

Here is an Overview of Ally video. You can read more about the benefits of the tool on the Penn State Anthology Ally webpage.

What should you know about Anthology Ally?

• Content items within Canvas are provided in alternative formats to students on demand. They require NO ACTION from the instructor.
• Alternative formats are not just valuable to students who request an accommodation. For example, a busy parent might find it helpful to listen to an audio version of the content while commuting.
• An accessibility indicator is attached to each course and content item within the course. The indicator reflects how accessible (0-100%) that item is for students. This accessibility indicator is NEVER visible to students.
• Clicking on the accessibility indicator provides guidance on how to improve the usability of your course materials. You can significantly increase the accessibility of your course materials quickly using the tool.
• This is what the accessibility indicators mean:
  • Green with an arrow  to the right is good or perfect.
  • Orange with an arrow  to the middle  indicates moderate issues.
  • Red  with an arrow  to the left  indicates major issues.

How can you get the most from the Anthology Ally tool?

• Open an alternative format of a content item in your course.
• Demonstrate how to access alternative formats for your students. (Be sure to use student view, so you don’t show the accessibility indicators.)
• Click on the accessibility indicators in your course to view the guidance on improving the usability of your course materials.

Contact eLDIG for Support/Questions & Upcoming Smeal Academy Session

If you have questions or would like support in improving your course accessibility, please email us at: eldig@smeal.psu.edu and we will schedule a time to discuss your needs and questions. Additionally, we are holding a Smeal Academy Session about Anthology Ally on Wednesday, August 9th at 9 am (calendar invites are coming soon). The session will be recorded and shared on the eLDIG website.

Smeal Academy Spring 2023 Connections Newsletter 2 – Artificial Intelligence and Academy Integrity: The Battle of the AIs

The goal of the Smeal Academy is to equip the Smeal Community with best practices and strategies for teaching and learning with technology to support Smeal’s business education and research needs. This newsletter provides resources, tips, and pointers as we move through the semester.

(Meme created by an AI Meme Generator, Supermeme.ai)

In recent years, there has been a growing concern about the use of artificial intelligence tools, such as ChatGPT, in academic settings. These tools, which can generate large amounts of text that is difficult to distinguish from human-written text, can be used to cheat on assignments and exams. However, there are steps that educators can take to detect and prevent cheating, such as using plagiarism detection software and having a clear policy in place regarding the use of AI-assisted tools. It is important to use AI responsibly and to be aware of its limitations, particularly when it comes to generating content that will be distributed to a wide audience.

Did that introductory paragraph make sense? If so, we must confess that we cheated. We “wrote” it using ChatGPT. And if you have been paying attention to the headlines, you know that ChatGPT and other artificial intelligence tools make it much easier to cheat on written assignments. The eLDIG team has been experimenting with AI tools and evaluating their impact for Smeal. The subject is so important that we have scheduled a Smeal Academy session devoted to the topic on March 23rd at 12:00. But given headlines like ChatGPT passes MBA exam given by a Wharton professor, we wanted to provide quick tips to help you in the classroom right now.

The tools and their outputs are getting stronger and better in measurements of days and weeks (not months or years), so it is imperative that we wrap our human heads around their AI capabilities. (And rest assured, except for the first paragraph, all text in this newsletter was written by an actual human being.)

5 things to do now about AI Tools like ChatGPT

• Don’t panic. As with anything, results may vary. Our experimentation has shown some ChatGPT results to be laughable and easily spotted. Some results are decent at first glance but wouldn’t pass any basic grading process. The problem is that some results are very high quality and could fool many of us. If you are concerned that AI tools could jeopardize the academic integrity of your assessments, brainstorm with the Instructional Designers at eLDIG (eldig@smeal.psu.edu) to come up with alternatives that might be more AI-proof. Sometimes subtle changes make a big difference.
• Add a Syllabus Statement. Put a clear statement on your syllabus (or make an announcement to the class) about the use of AI tools and ChatGPT in your course. Formal language is in the works at both the Smeal and Penn State University levels and will be available soon. For now, make sure your students know if AI use constitutes a violation of academic integrity in your course. What are your policies and what are the possible outcomes if you suspect AI use? And if AI use is permitted in limited or creative ways, how should the resulting text be cited?
• Test it out. Get an account and play around with ChatGPT (or other tools) and your assignments. What do they do well in your subject area and assignments? What do they do poorly? If you prompt ChatGPT with one of your writing assignments, what does it typically return? You will be more able to spot possible AI use by students if you are familiar with the range of outcomes that ChatGPT provides. Also, one thing that we realized when testing ChatGPT was that it cannot provide current citations, however, it sometimes provides old (or fake?) ones. A quick Google search showed that most links or sources provided came up as 404 Not Found Errors. And ChatGPT did give the caveat that some sources might not be real, although they appeared very convincing. So, check student sources too!
• Talk with students. Have a frank discussion with your students about the tools. Are they using them? What do they think? Have they seen limitations? Students are often our best experts in new technologies and their opinions may surprise you. And don’t think writing is the only subject impacted. It is likely that your students are seeing (and using?) AI tools for image generation, code creation, and multiple other uses that impact their coursework.
• Do some research. Read up on how to spot student use of AI and emerging tools to help. Here are some good articles and places to start:
  • AI Writing Detection: A Losing Battle Worth Fighting
  • ChatGPT Advice Academics Can Use Now
  • GPTZero (AI Detector)
  • Sneak preview of Turnitin’s AI writing and ChatGPT detection capability

Quick Ways to Make AI Less Attractive to Students

• Focus on current events if possible. For now, ChatGPT uses data from 2021 and before. It does not tackle current events well or even at all.
• Flip the script and think about embracing ChatGPT. For example, you could give students a writing assignment and tell them to use ChatGPT. Their assignment is to then grade the writing product and pick out factual errors, biases, or problems with the final product. Ask them how they would improve upon ChatGPT’s output.
• Focus writing assignments on an iterative process rather than the end result. Make students show evidence of their work along the way including research notes, outlines, and rough drafts. At the end, ask them to write a personal reflection to sum up what they learned during the process. Or throw students curveballs halfway through the writing process. Ask them to integrate citations or references that aren’t well-represented in current data on that subject.
• Ditch the tech. If class size allows, you might ask students to perform writing tasks in person without technology. Blue Books, anyone? Alternatively, ask students to write an outline for a writing assignment during class (without notes or technology) and turn it in. After you have graded the outline, the student can write the essay using technology, but only using that outline as the basis. It is much more difficult to force ChatGPT to write to a specific script or outline.
• Oral Exams. Reserve the right to give a student an oral exam to evaluate their work if you suspect unapproved AI use. Ask students about specific terms used in their work and why they chose a certain citation or angle.
• Security through obscurity. Get bogged down in the details (in a good way). Ask students to focus their writing assignments for very specific audiences. Or use fictitious company names or your own original case studies as background for questions. The more obscure the details or background, the less chance the answers that ChatGPT provides will make sense.

It is a brave new world out there, and we all know that various technologies have disrupted the educational process before. Calculators, spell check, the computer, and even the blackboard were once thought to be the end of education as we know it. But as we have witnessed, the tools became integrated in the learning process, and we have all managed to keep teaching and learning with them. So, back to the first point: Don’t panic.

The eLDIG team is here for the Smeal community. If you want to discuss an idea or need for your course(s), please don’t hesitate to contact us to schedule a consultation at eldig@smeal.psu.edu.

Upcoming Live Sessions

eLDIG ID Tips

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Smeal Academy Spring 2023 Connections Newsletter 1 – Springing into a New Semester

The goal of the Smeal Academy is to equip the Smeal Community with best practices and strategies for teaching and learning with technology to support Smeal’s business education and research needs. This newsletter provides resources, tips, and pointers as we move through the semester.

eLDIG’s 5 Things

5 Things from the eLDIG Team:

As we get started with a new semester, we wanted to share the following five things with the Smeal community:

1. eLDIG has welcomed three new team members:
   1. Chris Coyne, Instructional Designer, joined the team on October 3 and came to us from Penn State’s Ag Extension.
      Fun fact about Chris: He’s related to Grace Kelly (his great-grandmother was a Kelly) and has been to Greenland.
   2. Francesca Joyce, Multimedia Specialist, joined the team on December 5 and came to us from Geisinger’s Commonwealth School of Medicine.
      Fun fact about Francesca: When she was younger, she wanted to be a horse veterinarian but after spending a summer at horse camp decided to choose a different (less smelly) career path!
   3. Whitney Chirdon, Instructional Designer focusing on executive programs, joined the team on December 12 and came to us from Penn State’s School of Public Policy.
      Fun fact about Whitney: She produced and hosted a TV show about Downtown Abbey called After Abbey. Whitney has also only attended Penn State sports games while producing talent as a stage manager or in the production truck for ESPN, BTN, ABC, and FOX sports. She did run on the field with the Blue Band during a game while producing a documentary.
2. Check out eLDIG’s new video assessment series. Topics include:
   1. Assessment basics
   2. Formative and summative assessments
   3. Assessment best practices
   4. Writing quality exam questions
   5. Canvas quizzing
   6. Exam security
   7. Alternatives to exams
   8. Rubrics
3. Top Hat’s new “Presentation Tool” that mimics the “quick polling” iClicker functionality is now available in General Purpose Classrooms at Penn State. Quick polling allows a PowerPoint slide to be the basis of a poll – if you want to learn more, reach out to us and we’re happy to help get you started.
4. Just a quick note that Canvas courses will be archived on January 24th. All LionPATH courses taught prior to, and including, Fall 2021 and ALL non-LionPATH courses, regardless of creation date, including Master, Manually Created, Sandbox courses, and Prides will be archived unless you opt-out.
5. Do you struggle to keep up with syllabus policies? eLDIG keeps a Smeal Residential Syllabus, Part 2 up to date based on the semester instructions from Undergraduate Programs. You are welcome to use this for your syllabi now or in the future.

The eLDIG team is here for the Smeal community. If you want to discuss an idea or need for your course(s), please don’t hesitate to contact us to schedule a consultation at eldig@smeal.psu.edu.

Upcoming Live Sessions

eLDIG Teaching and Learning Tips

Contact Us

Smeal Academy Fall 2022 Connections Newsletter 2 –Inclusive Teaching Practices

The goal of the Smeal Academy is to equip the Smeal Community with best practices and strategies for teaching and learning with technology to support Smeal’s business education and research needs. This newsletter provides resources, tips, and pointers as we move through the semester.

Photo by Tim Mossholder on Unsplash

5 Ideas for Inclusive Classrooms from the eLDIG Team

It’s always important to consider how we can cultivate classroom environments that make everyone feel welcome. The following suggestions can be easily incorporated:

1. Consider representation in the resources you provide students. There are so many fantastic repositories of free images available for use in your classroom materials. The following are just a few: Women of Color in Technology, Disability Inclusive Stock Photography, and Beyond the Binary.
2. Add your pronouns to your Canvas and Zoom profiles. Recommend that students do the same and provide support documentation: Canvas: Add Gender and Identity Pronouns to Your Name and Zoom: Add Gender or Identity Pronouns to Your Zoom Profile.
3. Remember the importance of connection before content. Learning is social! There are lots of great tools for encouraging interpersonal connection within your class that make your content more meaningful. These virtual question cards from WeConnect are a great free resource for encouraging conversation.
4. Solicit student feedback frequently, including personal reflections on their learning. This is a great way to support students and keep your finger on the pulse of their classroom experience. Tools like Canvas Surveys and Microsoft Forms are great ways to gather this feedback.
5. Remember the power of microaffirmations! Microaffirmations include behaviors as simple as: nodding and making eye contact with students while they’re talking; making sure to call on students of different races and genders equally; referring to every student by his or her name; using inclusive language — for instance, talk about “families” instead of “parents;” openly giving praise for a wide range of actions; and staying enthusiastic when interacting with students. (Rastegari & Shafer)

Rastegari, I. and Shafer, L. (2016, December 22). Accentuate the Positive: The transformative power of small encouragements and welcoming interactions. Harvard Graduate School of Education.

The eLDIG team is here for the Smeal community. If you want to discuss an idea or need for your course(s), please don’t hesitate to contact us to schedule a consultation at eldig@smeal.psu.edu

Upcoming Live Sessions

Tips of the Week

Contact Us

Smeal Academy Fall 2022 Connections Newsletter 1 – Welcome Back

The goal of the Smeal Academy is to equip everyone with best practices and strategies for teaching, learning, and technology to ensure the Smeal community is prepared to respond to the unique challenges of teaching and learning during the Fall 2022 semester. Between now and the end of the Fall 2022 semester, we will be sending periodic emails with practical tips and information, providing live sessions, and holding virtual consultations.

5 Resources from the eLDIG Team:

As we get started with a new semester, we have curated five resources we want to share with the Smeal Community:

1. Final Touches for Fall Session Recording
   Check out our Smeal Academy Session Recording: Final Touches for Fall for some information that is relevant even after week 1 of the semester. You can also check out previous Smeal Academy sessions and newsletters on the eLDIG site. We will offer regular Smeal Academy sessions and resources targeted to address your teaching and learning needs.
2. Residential Syllabus, Part 2
   Do you struggle to keep up with syllabus policies? eLDIG keeps a Smeal Residential Syllabus, Part 2 up-to-date based on the semester instructions from Undergraduate Programs. You are welcome to use this for your syllabi now or in the future.
3. Tips for New Faculty
   Higher Ed Jobs Tips for New Faculty – Tips for success (and failure) for new faculty that are relevant to all faculty.
4. Canvas New Analytics
   Want to get more out of Canvas analytics? Enable New Analytics in your course(s).
5. Canvas Grading Scheme
   Remember to set up your Canvas grading scheme to match your syllabus. Here’s a Smeal Academy Video Tech Tip explaining how.The eLDIG team is here for the Smeal community. If you want to discuss an idea or need for your course(s), please don’t hesitate to contact us to schedule a consultation at eldig@smeal.psu.edu.

Upcoming Live Sessions

Tips of the Week

Contact Us