Ben Braddock

[CLICK HERE for a 10-minute podcast version of this spotlight made using AI]

Ben Braddock is an academic advisor and the STEM Coordinator for the Groups Scholars Program. As a Digital Gardener Faculty Fellow and a member of CITL’s Generative AI Faculty Learning Community, Ben is deeply committed to innovative educational practices. He teaches a three-part student success seminar series which includes a focus on cultivating “AI Literacy.” Ben recently presented “AI 101” at BAAC’s annual conference.

Why should academic advisors care about the rise of Generative Artificial Intelligence (GAI)?

First off, I want to acknowledge the gravity of the socio-technological moment we find ourselves in. For many of us, the “AI revolution” seemingly came out of nowhere, and there are legitimate ethical reasons to be wary or even disinterested in GAI. However, I think anyone passionate about education or uplifting young people should be engaging with this issue for three key reasons:

1. Like the internet, smartphones, and social media, GAI is here to stay, and its growth and adoption are accelerating.
2. Increasingly, our students will grow up in a world fundamentally shaped by GAI. We have students now who don’t remember a time before smart phones—and soon, the same will be true for AI. Evidence suggest students are already using these tools in large numbers, whether or not we talk to them about AI Literacy. I believe we have a responsibility to teach our students how to use this technology safely, ethically, and effectively.
3. Finally, understanding how to use GAI tools can enhance the quality, creativity, and efficiency of both your professional and personal life.

What do you mean when you say, “AI Literacy?”

I describe it to my students as the ability to collaborate ethically & effectively with GAI tools. I often compare GAI to “the Force” from Star Wars: its invisible, all around us, and has extremely potent “light” and “dark” sides. My goal is to help people become Jed-AI. For advisors, I would break this down into three competency areas: Conceptual, Practical, and Policy.

Why start with a “Conceptual” component, how does that help me use GAI?

When I introduce my students to GAI, I start with what I call the “Car Crash Rule.” Every day, tons of people drive their cars safely and effectively while understanding literally nothing about how cars work. This is fundamentally not the case with GAI. If you want to avoid dangerous GAI “accidents,” you must understand at least the basics of “what is going on under the hood,” aka how GAI actually works.

Learning about AI can often feel overwhelming and confusing. Where should I start?

I’ve got a few options you can choose from to complete your GAI “driver’s ed.” I encourage you to meaningfully engage with one of these before you start “driving” GAI. Listed in ascending order of the time they require:

1. My “AI 101” presentation
2. This Canvas Module (focused on the conceptual/basics)
3. This Canvas Module (focused on specific skill acquisition)
4. Ethan Mollick’s book, Co-Intelligence: Living and Working with AI.

What about the “Practical” and “Policy” competencies?

I think of the Practical competency as understanding which GAI tools to use when, and how to utilize each effectively. This comes largely from being exposed to different “models” and practicing/experimenting with them. I’ll also highlight that for many GAI tools, “prompting” and “prompt engineering," play a big role in the quality of your output.

Policy is obviously important. For advisors, these concerns largely revolve around privacy and data security, but for students, the focus is often on academic misconduct. To better understand these policies, I recommended you consult the following websites specifically: Knowledge Base, Teaching.IU, and AI at IU.

Do you have any specific recommendations for academic advisors?

Absolutely. First, think of developing AI literacy like learning a new language—it’s not something you can master by reading a single blog post or attending one event. It’s a process that takes time and continued effort. The fact that you’re reading this now is a testament to your commitment to confront this important issue. I encourage you to follow that instinct and make use of the resources I’ve shared above.

In terms of specific use cases for academic advisors, let your creativity run wild! I’m constantly talking to other professionals who’ve discovered innovative ways to collaborate with GAI specific to their roles—and you can do the same! (You can even ask GAI to brainstorm potential ways it can help you.) Here are a few easy ways to get started:

• Enhance the quality of your written communication – Use GAI for editing/writing assistance to make your messages sharper and more effective.
• Enhance the creativity of your approach – GAI excels at idea generation which can then be used as a springboard for your own creativity. Before you start a project (or whenever you find yourself stuck), consider asking GAI for a list of new/creative approaches.
• Create more engaging/multimedia content – Struggling to get students to engage with email or read the important information you’re trying to share with them? Consider how GAI can be used to create more engaging, accessible multimedia assets. For example, this spotlight includes an AI-generated podcast made with NotebookLM.

One more thing…here’s a QUICK NOTE you can use:
My colleagues know I swear by Quick Notes, so here’s one you can use (and modify) if students have questions about GAI:

“You had a question about Generative Artificial Intelligence (GAI), I’m glad you’re thinking critically about this. GAI is more than just a “hot button issue,” it’s a massive topic with significant implications far beyond IU. Still, I know some of your concerns are likely centered around using GAI at IUB specifically. Below are some incredibly useful resources:

• AI at IU is a website specifically focused on using AI at IU.
• This Canvas Module is focused on specific skill acquisition (like “prompting”). Completing its modules rewards you with certifications you can even add to application materials like resumes.

Lastly, in general, you should know that AI’s relationship to academic misconduct is determined by each individual instructor for each individual class. While the above resources are useful, always be sure you are talking with each of your individual instructors about AI and their course.”

Miscellaneous fun facts about Ben:

For those interesting in learning more about me personally/professionally:

• While getting my Master’s in Higher Ed, I worked as a Positive Psychology Life Coach. This experience was foundational to my identity as a professional. I think of myself as a “thriving specialist.” I’m obsessed with growth/development, and many of my students call me “Coach.”
• On a tangentially related note, I’ve been a Lakers fan for twenty-five years. I constantly think about my life and work through basketball metaphors. Some of my students and colleagues have started parroting my habit of describing excellent work as “high-level hooping.”
• One of my biggest passions in life is games, specifically tabletop and video roleplaying games. I’m a huge fan of Dungeons & Dragons and massive believer that fun is a crucial ingredient in learning and performance.