2.4 Becoming an Active Operator of AI
Faculty concerns about students using AI often center on issues such as overreliance on technology, shortcutting the learning process, and the potential misuse of AI tools without fully understanding their capabilities and limitations. Encourage students to think about and use AI wisely to support and empower (and not replace) their learning.
From Passive User to Active Operator
By shifting from passive use to active operators of AI, students can develop the skills and mindset needed to use AI apps effectively and ethically in their academic work.
Defining an Active Operator of AI
In their presentation, “Microdosing GPTs: Scaffolding a Positive Pedagogy to AI Technologies,” Sydni Meyer and Dan Woulfin (2024) describe the need to support students in shifting their thinking from being passive recipients of AI to becoming active users and operators of AI. They explain the difference between a user and an operator:
- User: A passive absorber of information, only interested in the product and how it works. Users are comfortable with prescribed roles and are less critical of results.
- Operator: An active searcher interested in the product and the process (how AI works). Operators push boundaries to understand the limitations and potential of the technology and are more critical of the results.
Meyer and Woulfin suggest modelling and supporting students, especially when students may feel they lack confidence in their capabilities to guide AI use. When students (and faculty) become “operators” of AI, they become more interested in prompt engineering, get excited about using AI critically, test AI for its limitations, and understand the need to verify and be critical of the results. They also complement their use of AI with other technologies.
Select the accordion items below for some general ideas to help students move from being passive users to active and critical operators of AI.
Reflection Questions: Actively Operating AI
- How can I design activities or assignments that require students to assess the output generated by AI tools critically?
- What opportunities can I create for students to experiment with AI in ways that push the boundaries of traditional thinking and problem-solving?
- How can I foster a sense of curiosity in students about how AI works and its potential applications in their field of study?
- How can I help students understand the importance of becoming skilled operators of AI within their future professions?
- How can I guide students to use AI responsibly and ethically, ensuring they understand the potential risks and limitations?
- How can I support students in shifting from being passive users to active operators of AI, encouraging them to explore and understand the technology deeply?
Learn More
Learn more about Critical Thinking With AI: Two Approaches (Faculty Learning Hub).