Three ways to get students using GenAI in project-based learning

In light of increasing generative artificial intelligence adoption, university teachers have begun to incorporate its use into project-based learning. My institution has recently experimented with using customised GenAI agents in first-year English for academic purposes modules to promote group learning. However, this has not been without its challenges – ethical concerns and low AI literacy to name a few. This resource proposes three solutions.

Set the right tone

Despite widespread GenAI use among students, many might not be aware of its ethical implications and far-reaching consequences. Begin your project by having conversations about these as a group.

Create opportunities for students to critically examine and discuss controversial issues related to GenAI use in project-based learning, such as data leaks, biased AI-generated results and academic dishonesty. Use contextualised case studies to enrich these discussions. 

When designing my own, I ask myself the following questions:

• What is GenAI’s role in project-based learning?
• To what extent should students use GenAI during their projects?
• How should we handle project data when using GenAI tools?
• Why and how should we analyse the validity and reliability of AI-generated information for students’ projects?

I also recommend preparing transcripts that students can use to role-play some scenarios. These kinds of exercises help students make informed judgements and decisions. 

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Establish a knowledge-sharing culture

Many of my first-year students are not yet accustomed to using GenAI. They primarily use it for translating materials from English to Chinese and for searching for general information. 

To teach students about other GenAI applications in project-based learning contexts, showcase how to use tools at different stages of the project. This can develop students’ creativity and AI literacy.

This is what I do for each stage of the project:

• Preparation: Teach the basic functions of different tools
• During the project: Teach students how to use GenAI to collect and analyse information, give students example prompts for practice
• End of the project: Teach students how to practise oral presentations using GenAI, show students how to use tools to proofread text and explain how students can use tools to cross-check references.

To encourage knowledge-sharing, you can use Padlet or Microsoft Teams and ask students to share their experiences and rationale behind using GenAI. If resources allow, you can compile these into a booklet and share it among students.

Foster GenAI use for self-assessment

Students often lack the discipline and skills to assess their work during project-based learning because they view it as a one-off product rather than a learning process. We can use GenAI to help students learn to assess themselves effectively.

To do this, give students example prompts aimed at encouraging them to evaluate their work at different stages. For instance, during the information collection stage, students can use tools to generate analyses of the sources they have gathered for their projects. They can then compare their analyses with those generated by GenAI. One prompt I found useful for this was: “You are a first-year student at [insert university]. You are currently working on a project to investigate how to improve dining facilities on campus [insert situation]. Analyse the following two articles about the general design of the canteen (topic) and evaluate their reliability based on their background information (for example, authors, publication year, etc) and content (specific action)”. This approach can enhance students’ self-assessment capabilities by allowing them to consider another perspective to strengthen their arguments.

Additionally, students can use GenAI to proofread their work by using the following prompt: “I am a first-year student at [insert university]. I am working on a project to investigate how to improve dining facilities on campus [situation]. Proofread the draft of my PowerPoint presentation and list and explain the parts that have been improved [specific action]”. The feedback enables students to critically reflect on the language and coherence of their projects, which is particularly beneficial for those requiring additional language support.

Teachers should also provide an assessment rubric to help students understand the assessment criteria (such as source analysis) and evaluate their own performance, acting as a catalyst for further self-improvement.

The careful integration of GenAI into the curriculum can significantly enhance the project-based learning process. By guiding students to use these tools responsibly at various stages of their projects, educators develop students’ self-assessment skills, digital literacy and self-management ability. These academic competencies are transferable to a wide range of academic fields and careers.

Ka Ho To is a language lecturer at Xi'an Jiaotong-Liverpool University’s School of Languages.

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