As artificial intelligence (AI) tools become more accessible, Doane University students and faculty are grappling with how to use them ethically and effectively in academics and beyond. Today, AI can be applied across nearly every subject, raising questions about its role in education.
Writing Center Director and English professor Jeremy Caldwell, along with Programming and Cyber Security instructor Alec Engebretson, is currently teaching a class on AI.
“The class is looking at the whole area of AI—What is AI? How does it overlap with the humanities? What are the humanities? And how does this fit into a liberal arts education?” Engebretson said.
The goal of the course is to explore the intersection of AI, the humanities and the liberal arts. Through critical analysis and creative application, students gain a deeper understanding of AI’s role in these fields, assess its benefits and challenges, and produce original work that reflects these insights.
Caldwell has adapted his class assignments to both prevent AI misuse and integrate it in meaningful ways. He recognized AI’s impact early on and began preparing for its influence on education.
“I immediately started thinking about it and reading up on it. It was released in 2022… but it didn’t explode until the fall of 2022,” Caldwell said.
While concerns about AI misuse exist, not all applications negatively affect students. In fact, some find AI beneficial in their academic journey. For example, students whose first language is not English may use AI for translation assistance, while others rely on it as a study tool to reinforce concepts, test their knowledge before exams or practice for speeches.
Engebretson has also observed notable changes in students since the introduction of AI.
“If they want to be professional software engineers, they’ll be expected to use AI as part of their job, okay? But to use AI effectively, they have to know how to code so they can examine the AI-generated code and determine whether it’s doing what they intended,” Engebretson said.
In both Caldwell’s and Engebretson’s classes, students are permitted to use AI tools in controlled and educationally beneficial ways. For instance, in Caldwell’s courses, AI may be incorporated into writing exercises, while in Engebretson’s classes, students might use it to verify and analyze code.
As AI continues to evolve, faculty and students at Doane University are striving to find a balance—leveraging its benefits while maintaining academic integrity and critical thinking skills.
