Teaching Support and Innovation
Summary: Use or adapt these sample activity instructions to show students how GenAI can support conceptualizing problems, evaluating approaches and trade-offs, and reflecting on their reasoning and decision making. These activities emphasize understanding, judgement, and metacognition over simply generating a correct solution.
Sample wording – Problem conceptualization activity
Before attempting to solve a problem, you may use approved GenAI tools to explore underlying concepts and the context of the problem. The goal of this activity is to strengthen your ability to understand and formulate problems before attempting a solution. For each problem, document:
- Your initial interpretation of the problem and the key concepts you identified
- Alternative representations or perspectives suggested by GenAI (e.g., algebraically vs. geometrically)
- How the alternative perspectives influenced your understanding of the problem
Sample wording – Comparing approaches activity
You may use approved GenAI tools to explore alternative solutions to a problem. The goal of this activity is to evaluate competing approaches and understand the trade-offs associated with different decisions. Document:
- Your initial proposed solution
- Alternative solutions or design options suggested by GenAI
- Relevant trade-offs
- Your rationale for moving forward with a particular solution
You will be assessed on your ability to evaluate alternatives, justify decisions, and communicate trade-offs rather than on identifying a single optimal solution.