College Assignments Beyond AI's Capabilities: Focus on Liberal Arts - Part 4

As I discussed in this series on AI-proof college assignments, schools are grappling with the challenge of creating assignments that require distinctly human capabilities and therefore can’t be delegated to AI tools. While AI can be a valuable aid for data analysis and information retrieval–and can be useful as a tool to spark creativity, like helping to overcome writer's block–AI tools currently don’t handle well tasks that require, for example, critical thinking, empathy, ethical judgment, adaptability, certain types of creativity, and genuine social interaction. Therefore, schools can navigate the AI challenge in part by creating assignments that are “human-centered” in that they require these capabilities.

 Below are a few examples of “human-centered” Liberal Arts course assignments. I want to underline that the task descriptions give a general sense of what the assignment requires from students but would need to be fleshed out with more details and directions for use in actual courses. 

Course: English Literature

Assignment: Literary Analysis and Critique

 This assignment focuses on helping you to improve your skills in literary analysis and critique, requiring a deep understanding of literary elements and critical perspectives.

Task Description:

Select a significant work of literature from any genre or time period. Conduct a comprehensive literary analysis, delving into themes, characters, symbols, and narrative techniques. Provide a critical assessment of the work, drawing on various literary theories and scholarly interpretations.

 AI can certainly provide some basic literary analysis based on predefined patterns and well-crafted prompts, but it cannot capture the depth and nuance of literary interpretation that a human can. Understanding symbolism, themes, and narrative techniques requires a deep appreciation of cultural and historical context.

Course: History of Art

 Assignment: Artistic Movements Exploration

This assignment challenges you to explore the evolution of art through historical art movements.

 Task Description:

Choose an art movement or period (e.g., Renaissance, Impressionism, Abstract Expressionism). Conduct in-depth research into the movement's major artists, key artworks, and cultural context. Develop a visual presentation that illuminates the movement's significance in the broader history of art.

 While AI can catalog and describe artworks, it lacks the ability to provide the critical and contextual insights that human art historians can. Analyzing the significance of an art movement in cultural, historical, and artistic terms requires a complex understanding of human culture and history. The instructor can put a unique spin on the assignment by asking for comparisons to something else that cannot be replicated by AI (i.e., life experiences).

Course: Philosophy

Assignment: Moral Dilemmas and Ethical Debates

This assignment delves into philosophical ethics and moral reasoning, encouraging critical thinking about complex ethical issues.

Task Description:

Present a moral dilemma or ethical scenario drawn from real life or literature. Analyze the dilemma from multiple ethical perspectives, considering philosophers such as Kant, Mill, and Aristotle. Articulate your own ethical stance and provide a well-reasoned argument for it. 

AI can provide information about different ethical theories, but it lacks the capacity for moral judgment and empathy. Exploring moral dilemmas and constructing arguments for ethical positions often involves subjective and nuanced reasoning that is deeply rooted in human values and emotions.

Course: Sociology

Assignment: Social Issues Research Project

This assignment aims to deepen your understanding of contemporary social issues and their impact.

 Task Description:

Choose a specific social issue (e.g., immigration, inequality, technology's influence on society). Conduct extensive research to analyze the issue's causes, consequences, and potential solutions. Write a research paper or presentation that synthesizes your findings and proposes actionable recommendations for addressing the issue.

 AI can assist in data collection and analysis, but it cannot fully understand the lived experiences and social dynamics that underlie complex social issues. It still lacks the ability to conduct in-depth qualitative research, engage with diverse perspectives, or connect with the human experiences at the heart of these issues.

Course: Psychology

 Assignment: Psychological Case Study Analysis

This assignment challenges you to apply psychological concepts and research methods to a real or hypothetical case.

Task Description:

Select an individual with a psychological disorder or condition. Develop a detailed case study, including a thorough assessment of symptoms, diagnosis, treatment options, and the psychological impact on the individual's life. Analyze the case from various psychological perspectives.

 AI can provide information about psychological disorders, but it cannot conduct in-depth interviews, make nuanced clinical judgments, or understand the complexity of individual human experiences and unique stories. 

Course: Political Science

 Assignment: Comparative Political Systems Analysis

This assignment encourages comparative analysis of political systems, fostering a deeper understanding of global governance structures.

Task Description:

Select two countries with distinct political systems (e.g., democracy vs. authoritarianism, federalism vs. unitarism). Analyze and compare their government structures, electoral processes, and key political ideologies. Consider how these differences and similarities impact the lives and rights of their citizens. Examine the implications of these differences and similarities for governance and policymaking.

 AI can collect and process political data, but it does not reliably output text that captures the intricate nuances of political systems, ideologies, and their historical contexts. Analyzing political systems requires taking into account cultural, custom and historical factors.

Course: Journalism Law and Ethics

 Assignment: Ethical Reporting from the Field

This assignment emphasizes the significant responsibility that journalists shoulder when reporting from the field, requiring adherence to rigorous ethical standards and legal considerations.

 Task Description:

Engage in ethical reporting from the field, covering a specific news event or story. Navigate the complex landscape of journalism law and ethics while gathering and disseminating information. Uphold principles of accuracy, fairness, and responsible reporting throughout your coverage.

Present your field reporting experience to the class, discussing the ethical challenges encountered and the legal considerations you had to address while reporting on-site. Reflect on the strategies employed to maintain journalistic integrity and adherence to ethical standards—qualities AI cannot replicate.

This assignment is AI-proof in that it requires information about an event that AI tools likely don’t have access to, presenting to the class, and describing students’ personal experiences involved in completing the project.

Course: Economics

Assignment: Economic Policy Proposal and Evaluation

This assignment challenges you to develop and critically assess economic policy proposals in response to real-world economic challenges.

Task Description:

Choose a contemporary economic issue (e.g., inflation, unemployment, trade policy). Develop a comprehensive economic policy proposal aimed at addressing the issue. Present your policy recommendations, supported by economic models, data, and potential outcomes. Critically evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of your proposed policy, considering economic principles and potential social impacts.

While AI can perform economic modeling and data analysis, it cannot consider the broader ethical, political, and social implications of economic policies. Economic policy proposals often involve value judgments, political negotiations, and a deep understanding of human behavior and society, which AI currently lacks.

The examples shared in this article serve as a foundation, but the responsibility for grading a paper or an assignment ultimately lies with the professor and their discerning evaluation. In contrast to assignments that require simple information retrieval, students who attempt to rely on AI to complete these more “human-centered” assignments will get poor results. However, it's important to note that discouraging the use of AI tools entirely is similar to asking students not to use computers for research–the genie is already out of the bottle. Instead, the emphasis should be on guiding students to use AI responsibly, as a valuable supplementary tool, while recognizing the irreplaceable role of human skills and judgment in completing well-crafted academic assignments.

Stay Tuned!

Next Series: AI in Healthcare

"Responsible AI in Healthcare: Equity, Ethical, and Regulatory Considerations"

In an era where artificial intelligence is transforming everything, this series delves deep into the responsible and ethical dimensions of AI adoption in healthcare. I explore how AI can be harnessed to promote health equity while navigating the complex web of ethical dilemmas, privacy and regulatory frameworks that shape its implementation in the healthcare sector. Gain insights into the crucial considerations that ensure AI's responsible use, safeguard patient rights, and drive health equity forward.