Generative Artificial Intelligence (Gen-AI) in Undergraduate Literature Courses
No TL;DR found
Abstract
Abstract: Accompanying the recent rise in cautious popularity surrounding Generative Artificial Intelligence (Gen-AI), some language educators are exploring innovative linguistic interactions with Gen-AI. Seeking to add a literature approximation to such criticism, this article explores two activities that feature Gen-AI in undergraduate literature courses. Both activities seek to offer forward-thinking Gen-AI engagement models for instructors of any literary work. Using Miguel de Cervantes’s Don Quixote (1605/15) as a referent, preparatory activities lead students through reading, note-taking, and discussion, while subsequent activities guide interactions between students and Gen-AI. Analytical essays and presentations inspire close readings and discourage cheating. The first activity presented in this article uses OpenAI’s ChatGPT 3.5, with special emphasis on Gen-AI idiosyncrasies present in 2023–24. It details interpretive reading and presentational writing activities that engage with a series of Gen-AI generated synopses. The second activity described motivates students to reduplicate compositional elements of a book illustration of Don Quixote , sharing their Gen-AI journey through presentational writing and conference-style speaking. While the first activity underscores the importance of citing both Gen-AI and the novel, the second activity encourages students to consult the original narrative for clues to the illustration’s composition.