Your Career: Is it OK to take it slow with generative AI?

Be skeptical but not dismissive of the role of ChatGPT and similar tools in your teaching. ADVERTISEMENT [Your Career Logo]( You can also [read this newsletter on the web](. Or, if you no longer want to receive this newsletter, [unsubscribe](. Be skeptical but not dismissive of the role of ChatGPT and similar tools in your teaching Just as online pedagogy and inclusive teaching moved center stage in teaching reform, ChatGPT emerged to suck all the oxygen out of the room. Webinars, conferences, essays, social-media posts, and new books about AI are creeping like kudzu vines into every corner of the higher-education landscape, blocking out views of everything else. Administrators are seeking visionary thinkers to capitalize on the power of this new technology, faculty members want help creating policies and revising traditional assignments, and faculty-development specialists have the task of helping both parties — not to mention students — adapt. Amid that push, there’s a case to be made for slow-walking your use of AI tools in teaching. That doesn’t mean resisting them, but creating more space for reflection and discussion in this new era of tech history. Slow-walking your embrace of AI doesn’t come without perils and might not apply in every context. Without question, some fields should move quickly to help students prepare for careers in which they will use this technology, and guide others to do so. Many employers are already expecting those skills. Generative AI can also offer special benefits for some students or faculty members, bringing economy or efficiency to tasks that have been especially time-consuming or difficult. But exclamations of how these new tools will make higher education more economical or efficient should give you pause. Most faculty work centers on human learning. Economy and efficiency do not necessarily produce better learning; in fact, they sometimes work actively against it. For that matter, do economy and efficiency always lead to greater human flourishing? Or positive developments in human history? With that in mind, read on for a set of four principles to guide your thinking on teaching with AI. Continue reading: “[The Case for Slow-Walking Our Use of Generative AI]( by James M. Lang Share your suggestions for the newsletter with Denise Magner, an editor at The Chronicle, at denise.magner@chronicle.com. If you’d like to opt out, you can log in to our website and [manage your newsletter preferences here](. ADVERTISEMENT SUBSCRIBE TO THE CHRONICLE Enjoying the newsletter? [Subscribe today]( for unlimited access to essential news, analysis, and advice. NEWSLETTER [Sign Up for the Teaching Newsletter]( Find insights to improve teaching and learning across your campus. Delivered on Thursdays. To read this newsletter as soon as it sends, [sign up]( to receive it in your email inbox. LATEST CAREER ADVICE, OPINION, AND NEWS ADVICE [Admin 101: How to Help Professors in Their ‘Worst Semester Ever’]( By David D. Perlmutter [STORY IMAGE]( Your faculty members say they are struggling to teach disengaged students. Can administrators be part of the solution and not part of the problem? ADVERTISEMENT ADVICE [How Do Editors Assess Your Book’s ‘Fit’?]( By Rebecca Colesworthy [STORY IMAGE]( An acquisitions editor sheds light on how publishers decide if your book is a good match for their lists. CULTURE CHANGE [Can This University Change Its Teaching Culture?]( By Beckie Supiano [STORY IMAGE]( The University of Georgia is making a big push for professors to adopt active learning. It could serve as a model. THE REVIEW | ESSAY [When It Comes to Critical Thinking, AI Flunks the Test]( By Gary Smith and Jeffrey Funk [STORY IMAGE]( Large language models fail to live up to the hype. A SHIFTING LANDSCAPE [Colleges Got Comfortable Talking About Privilege. Now It’s Being Scrutinized.]( By Erin Gretzinger [STORY IMAGE]( The chief diversity officer at Johns Hopkins Medicine sent out an email that defined privilege. Amid blowback, she apologized. Now she has resigned. THE REVIEW | OPINION [The New Campus Fanaticism]( By Robert S. Huddleston [STORY IMAGE]( Exclusion, scapegoating, and extremism are taking over. FROM THE CHRONICLE STORE [Fostering Students' Free Expression - Buy Now]( [Higher Education in 2035]( Higher education is facing an array of challenges: economic headwinds, political pressures, and shifting demographics. [Order your copy]( to help your institution prepare for what’s ahead, and discover how the sector will evolve in the coming decade. SPONSOR CONTENT | Loughborough University [AI's Dynamic Influence on Learning in Universities]( Explore how artificial intelligence is revolutionizing learning experiences, personalized teaching, and academic advancement across higher education institutions. What we’re reading Here’s more on career issues and trends from around the web. See something we should include? [Let me know](mailto:denise.magner@chronicle.com?subject=Your Career feedback). - In The Wall Street Journal, [advice]( on how to handle a “dry promotion” — meaning, a “bigger title and no raise.” - An [essay]( in The New York Times by a writer who, usually skeptical of self-help books, found one on “creative recovery” that “changed my life.” - A [podcast]( of the Harvard Business Review offers tips for leaders on how to be “more persuasive” on the job. MORE CAREER RESOURCES [Career Services at the Center]( [STORY IMAGE]( UPCOMING: March 26, 2024 | 2 p.m. ET. In a tough job market for recent graduates, colleges must better integrate career support into undergraduate programs. Join us for an expert panel on what colleges are doing. With Support From University of Florida. [Register here.]( [Innovative Interdisciplinary Programs]( [STORY IMAGE]( UPCOMING: March 20, 2024 | 2 p.m. ET. Join experts to learn how the programs have expanded to research how communities face earthquakes, tsunamis, and other natural disasters. With Support From Southern Methodist University. [Register here.]( [The Trends Report 2024]( [STORY IMAGE]( Our annual investigation into the most consequential developments in higher education. POLITICS AND RACE [DEI Legislation Tracker]( By Chronicle Staff [STORY IMAGE]( Legislators, mostly Republicans, want to get rid of diversity, equity, and inclusion offices; end anti-bias trainings; and banish diversity statements. Upcoming Workshop [The Chronicle's Women Leading Change Program | Spring 2024] [Join us this spring]( for a virtual professional development program designed for women leaders across various roles in higher ed. This workshop series will help participants better understand the complex set of challenges they may face and think creatively to implement transformative change on their campuses. [Reserve your spot today!]( JOB OPPORTUNITIES [Head of Department of Health Technology and Informatics]( The Hong Kong Polytechnic University [CELL AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY PROFESSOR]( University of Medicine and Health Sciences [Search other jobs.]( CAREER RESOURCES [Career Resources]( [Read the March collection]( for insights on navigating the anticipation of job offers. Explore our topics on how hiring decisions transpire, managing anxiety, and what to do if you receive an offer! NEWSLETTER FEEDBACK [Please let us know what you thought of today's newsletter in this three-question survey](. This newsletter was sent to {EMAIL}. [Read this newsletter on the web](. 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