A Mathematician's Tale of AI Exploration
By Lew Ludwig
Editor’s Note: This is the first column in a limited monthly series in which the author will explore the applications and implications of generative AI in the mathematics classroom. Readers are invited readers to submit questions and ideas for discussion in the column to blogs@maa.org.
I initially encountered the acronym GPT over Thanksgiving break in 2022, when my son, a computer science major, was discussing his creative computing project with a friend, an app developer. While their enthusiasm was palpable, I must admit I wasn't fully engaged in the conversation. However, my interest was piqued the following week when Dr. Ethan Mollik was featured on NPR discussing the recently launched Chat GPT chatbot, which remarkably gained one million new users in under five days. By early January 2023, I circled the wagons with my colleagues to delve into this new technology. Later that year, I detailed this conversation and its insights in FOCUS.
OpenAI. (2024). ChatGPT [Large language model]. /g/g-2fkFE8rbu-dall-e
An AI-generated image inspired by the author's recent travels to New Zealand, tracking down all things Tolkien.
The goal of this column
My aim in authoring this column is dual-purpose. Firstly, I want to engage my students this semester with generative AI, exploring its applications and implications in our math class and the broader world. Secondly, in alignment with the MAA's core values of community and inclusivity, I invite you to join me on this journey. This is an opportunity for you to pose questions, exchange experiences, or propose topics for upcoming posts. By collaborating, we can collectively harness this emerging technology to enhance learning for ourselves and our students.
The genesis of this column
In the fall of 2023, I taught our 200-level linear algebra and differential equations course. My goal was to integrate generative AI into the curriculum, but like many of us, I found myself uncertain about how to do so effectively and ethically, given the lack of established guidelines. Motivated by this challenge, I have decided to purposefully incorporate generative AI into my calculus class this semester. I will teach our Essentials of Calculus class, which is geared toward students without prior AP calculus experience. This course is taught four days a week over a 14-week semester, but some in my department have moved to a three-day-per-week schedule. I plan to utilize the fourth day to engage my students with generative AI, aiming to enhance their AI literacy and assess if such technologies can aid in their comprehension of calculus concepts.
Keeping myself accountable
While I am excited by the prospects of teaching a course infused with generative AI, I also have many reservations. After years of teaching calculus, I worry that I will fall into my old routines, much like I did in my fall linear algebra course, where generative AI often took a backseat. This monthly column is my attempt to share my successes and challenges with this process and force myself to stay true to my goals. While I am aware of a number of basic applications of chatbots, such as creating sample problems, generating syllabi, and crafting answers for student grading – what I term "first-generation" uses – my ambition is to develop a more comprehensive course. This course will aim to cover a range of goals, including understanding AI fundamentals, developing practical skills, critically analyzing AI applications, exploring ethical and societal implications, and preparing students for the AI-influenced workplace.
Our road ahead
Each month, as I share the progress and reflections from my classroom, I look forward to your engagement and feedback. Your insights, questions, and experiences will enrich this column and contribute to a broader understanding of how AI can be effectively used in our classes. This collaborative effort promises to be a learning curve for us all, one where we can collectively navigate the challenges and celebrate the milestones. So, stay tuned, join the conversation (send questions or ideas for the column to blogs@maa.org), and let's unravel the potential of AI in shaping the future of math education together.
Lew Ludwig is a professor of mathematics and the Director of the Center for Learning and Teaching at Denison University. An active member of the MAA, he recently served on the project team for the MAA Instructional Practices Guide and was the creator and senior editor of the MAA’s former Teaching Tidbits blog.