I teach art history, so I’m aware that most of my students are taking my course for a general education requirement and will most likely not work in the area of art or art history.
I’ve been trying to teach my students how to use generative AI as more of a “helper” or “tutor.” For example, I share practical use cases and prompts such as “I’m short on time, what part of the assignment do you think will take the most time or where should I focus my resources?” “I have no idea how to start my assignment. Can you help me figure out my next step?” “Can you review my assignment and give me tips on where I might improve?”
The idea is that by framing these kinds of questions, students can use AI to overcome common learning barriers, like procrastination, uncertainty about where to begin, or difficulty identifying weak areas in their work. The goal is not for AI to be a replacement for their work but to guide and empower them.
I hope these AI skills will have broader applications that extend beyond the classroom. Whether in the workplace or other areas of life, students will inevitably face unfamiliar challenges or need to learn new skills.
