Artificial intelligence and education at Sydney

New and existing artificial intelligence tools present urgent and compelling challenges and benefits for higher education at Sydney. Our approach to generative AI at Sydney is one of productive and responsible engagement. In the articles below, we explore the implications of tools such as ChatGPT on learning, teaching, and assessment at Sydney and how they can be leveraged to make these activities more effective, efficient, and improve student learning.

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Need to know

Frequently asked questions about generative AI at Sydney

Your questions answered about what ChatGPT and other generative AI means for Sydney and what we can do about it.

Prompt engineering for educators – making generative AI work for you

Practical worked examples of how different prompts can make teaching and assessment more effective, personalised, and meaningful for you and your students.

What to do about assessments if we can’t out-design or out-run AI?

It is becoming increasingly clear that there isn’t going to be a way to design take-home assessments that are ‘AI-proof’. But, we still need to assure that students have achieved learning outcomes – how do we do this, whilst embracing AI?

Where are we with generative AI as semester 1 starts?

What has happened in the AI space over the last few months that we need to know about going into 2024?

Generative AI and students

Student-staff forums on generative AI at Sydney

Catch up on recordings from our student panels where we explore what students think about what generative AI means for their study and their future, and how the University can help them grow their ethical and productive use of AI.

Supporting students to use AI responsibly and productively

We’ve released a new resource, co-created with students, to help students upskill in their understanding and application of generative AI. Our goal is to democratise knowledge and skill around generative AI so that all students everywhere can be equipped with the ability to use this new technology productively and responsibly.

Students answer your questions about generative AI – part 1: Assessments and their future

How might AI help students with assessments and provide feedback? How would students actually use AI, and what do they think this means for their future employment prospects? Students answer our frequently asked questions and more.

Prompt engineering for students – making generative AI work for you

Worked examples of key generative AI prompts, based in the learning sciences, that can be used by students to improve learning.

Students answer your questions about generative AI – part 2: Ethics, integrity, and the value of university

How do students feel about using generative AI in their study, and its impacts on academic integrity? Are they worried about how they can develop critical skills in a world where AI will be prevalent?

Assessments and generative AI

Menus, not traffic lights: A different way to think about AI and assessments

Traffic lights are safe and familiar, but are they the best way to think about AI and assessments? What if the question was not *whether* to use AI, but *how*? These tasty ramblings attempt to move us from cars to cuisine as we keep thinking about how to connect generative AI to assessment in education.

Should we use generative artificial intelligence tools for marking and feedback?

Guidelines developed through consultation with staff and students and agreed by the University Executive Education Committee, to apply University-wide effective immediately

Embracing the future of assessment at the University of Sydney

In an era where generative artificial intelligence (AI) is reshaping the educational landscape, Sydney is pioneering a refreshed approach to assessment and feedback. Find out about our refreshed assessment principles and our approach to assessment design.

ChatGPT is old news: How do we assess in the age of AI writing co-pilots?

AI-powered generators will soon be available right within the tools that we and our students use everyday, like Word. With the temptation to just ask AI to ‘write it for me’, in this extended piece we explore what this urgently means for assessment.

How Sydney academics are using generative AI this semester in assessments

Examples from across the University of assessments that can help students engage productively and ethically with AI and improve their learning.

How can I update assessments to deal with ChatGPT and other generative AI?

Tips on tweaking assessments and teaching to meet the challenges and opportunities of generative AI, including open conversations, in-class writing, personalising assessments, and effects on exams.

Teaching and generative AI

How Sydney academics are using generative AI this semester in class

Examples from across the University about how ChatGPT can be introduced to students and help with class discussion, research, and personalising teaching.

How Sydney educators are building ‘AI doubles’ of themselves to help their students

If you had an ‘AI double’ of yourself, what would you tell that clone to do? With the University’s AI platform ‘Cogniti’, this is now possible. Find out about what AI agents colleagues are building and how you can too.

AI as an authentic and engaging teaching tool for occupational therapy students

Read how an academic incorporated an authentic AI-based activity into her classroom to improve student engagement and depth of learning.