IN-PERSON MADRID FOCUS ON PEDAGOGY. SECTION B

Abstract

In the wake of ChatGPT’s release and the flurry of media coverage that followed, a simmering concern began spreading in American institutions of higher education. Concern quickly escalated to panic about the impact of GenAI on teaching and learning. My personal and professional journey has evolved from anxious skeptic to cautious adopter through the development and delivery of Media Industries and AI, the first AI-focused course in my department. The seminar required ongoing adaptation in response to the rapid evolution of GenAI technologies. I describe the experience of teaching the course as “building the plane while flying it.” It required real-time revision to reflect rapid developments that occurred as we progressed. When teaching the same courses each semester, I sometimes coast on autopilot. In the past few years due to a global pandemic and historical weather disaster, my courses have undergone profound changes. These changes were in the vein of ‘remote emergency teaching’ more so than purposeful responsive changes to an instructor’s deep self-reflection. Considering the experience of teaching the senior seminar on AI and the media, I have returned to my foundation- Paulo Freire and bell hooks. I consider the question: “What does it mean to engage in a ‘pedagogy of hope’ with ‘a radical commitment to openness’ in the age of generative AI?” This presentation walks participants through course development, implementation, and outcomes. It offers a candid look at an open pedagogical approach during a moment of unprecedented change and offers considerations of hope for the future.