Professor Boosts Student Engagement With 'Empire of AI' Book Assignment
In an effort to boost student engagement and critical thinking, Professor Helen Choi has assigned 'Empire of AI' by Karen Hao to her Advanced Writing for Engineers class this fall. The 482-page epic is to be read over four to five weeks, with students annotating and reflecting on sections weekly. Choi hopes this print material will encourage students to step away from their laptops and connect more meaningfully with their peers.
Choi, along with fellow professor Vance Ricks, chose 'Empire of AI' for its comprehensive portrayal of the rise of OpenAI, the company behind ChatGPT. The book, written by journalist Karen Hao, explores the company's transition from a nonprofit to a for-profit entity and delves into broader issues such as power concentration and exploitation in AI development. Students have shown enthusiasm for the book, with discussions revealing active participation and improved written responses.
Choi's decision to assign a physical book comes amidst declining reading scores among high school seniors, as per the National Assessment of Educational Progress. Choi, who focuses on teaching STEM students to write across disciplines, wants her students to engage in critical reading and robust conversations about AI. Previously, she had assigned short online articles, but found that student engagement was not as deep as desired.
Professor Helen Choi's assignment of 'Empire of AI' to her Advanced Writing for Engineers class aims to foster critical reading and meaningful discussions about AI among students. With the print material, she hopes to encourage students to step away from their laptops and engage more deeply with the text and their peers. The assignment aligns with her goal of promoting robust conversations about AI and improving student engagement in reading.
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