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Week of February 6-10

2023

TLOS: Considering ChatGPT and similar generative AI tools at Virginia Tech

It is likely that faculty have now become aware of a new tool called ChatGPT, a generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) chat bot that was released in late November 2022. Several other similar tools have been released or are launching in the near future. Faculty may also be hearing an array of opinions about the implications these tools might have for the future of teaching and learning.

Any time a new technology like generative AI emerges and captures the public’s attention, initial reactions tend to be polarized. Some see AI as a threat to higher education, while others view it as a positive force for reshaping the way we teach.

In the midst of these competing and conflicting perspectives, Technology-enhanced Learning and Online Strategies (TLOS) recommends a measured approach that doesn’t veer into either blind optimism or doom-and-gloom scenarios. Instead, TLOS asks faculty to consider the following suggestions when making decisions about the courses they teach.

  • Become familiar with these generative AI tools in order to have an informed perspective. 
  • Consider the Virginia Tech Honor Code and its applicability to generative AI tools. 
  • Avoid being drawn into a confrontational mindset regarding these generative AI tools. 
  • Set clear expectations for your students regarding the use of generative AI/ChatGPT. 
  • Explore potential changes to your individual course design and/or assessment strategies.

Because these tools are changing rapidly, TLOS will continually evaluate their use at Virginia Tech and revise its guidance as the situation evolves.

For further information on ChatGPT/generative AI and additional resources including a potential starting point for syllabus statements (fittingly, generated by ChatGPT), please visit the TLOS resources website.

CETL: Deadline for academic programs interested in Bridge Experiences Program

Virginia Tech’s Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning (CETL) reminds academic programs interested in the next cohort of the Bridge Experiences Program to apply by the March 15 deadline.

Academic programs in the Bridge Experience Program work with CETL to implement an undergraduate experiential learning requirement as part of Virginia Tech’s strategic plan and its Quality Enhancement Plan (QEP) for SACSCOC accreditation. Bridge experiences are customized to students’ needs and ambitions. Common examples include undergraduate research, internships, or other site-based experiences matching students’ post-graduation goals and approved by departmental faculty.

Information sessions will be held on February 22 and March 6 from 1:00 – 2:00 p.m. Registration is required. During the sessions, faculty involved in the program will share their progress and participate in a Q&A.

The application deadline for programs starting in summer 2023 is March 15. Successful applicants will have access to funding, additional support, and a collaborative Community of Practice to facilitate their curricular change.

If you have questions or would like more information about the Bridge Experience Program, please visit the Bridge Experiences Program website or email the Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning.

University Libraries: Database trials available to faculty throughout February

University Libraries has arranged trials for several databases, including AM Research Methods from Adam Matthew, Platino Educa, and MedOne Education throughout the month of February. Additionally, four collections from Readex, including Afro Americana Imprints and Native American Tribal Histories, are available for use during this period.

These databases are accessible to the entire Virginia Tech community through March 3, and University Libraries encourages users to provide feedback on how these resources support their research and teaching needs. University Libraries is committed to providing the campus community with the information that it needs and is constantly seeking new resources that may fill gaps in what they provide.

Each semester, the Department of Collections and Technical Services organizes trials for databases that currently are not currently available in their collections. With trials, the department can gather feedback from the campus community about potential new resources before fully investing in a subscription or a purchase.

Information is available about current trials. These databases are also listed on University Libraries’ A-Z Databases list for the duration of the trial period. Feedback can be provided through the survey forms linked in the description boxes for each of the trials listed.

For more information on these database trials, please read this campus notice or visit the Department of Collections and Technical Services’ resource trials website.

Hokie Wellness: TimelyCare mental health, wellness resource offers access to interpreters

To better support those who may not be comfortable or able to communicate with a provider in English, LanguageLine for TimelyCare allows Virginia Tech employees to invite a trained interpreter into a virtual health session.

LanguageLine is the trusted language-access provider to top health care organizations throughout North America. By integrating LanguageLine, TimelyCare is able to provide access to over 11,000 on-demand interpreters in more than 240 languages. This resource is HIPAA compliant and available 24/7 for both on-demand and scheduled TimelyCare visits.

Employees can access LanguageLine to invite a clinically trained interpreter to their virtual health session by following these steps:

  • Start a virtual visit from TimelyCare on your computer. 
  • Select the interpreter icon on your screen. 
  • A confirmation modal will pop up that will confirm you’d like to add a translator to the call. This is where you can also cancel the request for a translator. 
  • Once confirmed, LanguageLine will be connected to the call. 
  • After the connection, an automated voice will ask you to say out loud the language you need a translator for. 
  • Once connected with your interpreter, the session will begin with your mental health provider. The translator will be able to speak to both the provider and you.

TimelyCare is a virtual health service available to full-time Virginia Tech faculty and staff and non-student wage employees. Employees may access TimelyCare services regardless of their location in the United States and can connect to TimelyCare by computer, tablet, or smartphone using their Virginia Tech email address. Both phone and video sessions are available.

Virginia Tech employees can access and sign up for TimelyCare using their Virginia Tech email address.

For more information, please read this campus notice or visit the TimelyCare page on the Cook Counseling Center’s website.

Update on COACHE: Emails with survey links will be sent to faculty beginning next week

Beginning the week of February 13, faculty will have an opportunity to participate in a job satisfaction survey from Virginia Tech and Harvard’s Collaborative on Academic Careers in Higher Education (COACHE). This is an opportunity for faculty of all ranks to share opinions about their experience at Virginia Tech, from compensation and work-life policies to leadership and diversity, equity, and inclusion.

Your views are critically important as the university strives to attract and retain outstanding scholars and educators and increase the satisfaction of all faculty. Past COACHE survey data has prompted institutional changes such as enhancements to the shared governance system, the creation of pre-tenure course releases, new faculty mentoring programs, and development of work-life policies.

Participation will entail a 25-minute, web-based survey via a unique link emailed from COACHE, coachefaculty@opinioncast.com. COACHE will provide our campus with their summary analysis, as well as the confidential unit-record database, stripped of names and email addresses.

Please check your inboxes (and spam folders) beginning next week for your email invitation from COACHE. If you have questions, please email Rachel Gabriele, assistant provost for Faculty Initiatives and Policies, or call 540-231-4508. You can also visit the Virginia Tech COACHE website.

Additional Resources and Updates

If you have comments or recommendations for how we can improve the Weekly Communications Update or suggestions for specific information and topics that should be shared with faculty, staff, and academic program personnel, please provide them through this Google form or email Provost Communications.

Please visit VT Ready and the Provost’s website frequently for new and updated university information. All members of the campus community should also read their VTx Daily email for further important updates, notices, and resources.