GenAI Micro-course & Website

What Is the "Generative AI Microcourse"?

Generative AI is increasingly used in our personal, academic, and professional lives to complete tasks, solve problems, research topics, create digital projects, and more. Every field has and will continue to be impacted by GenAI. Consequently, it is essential for college students to learn when the use of GenAI is appropriate as well as how to use GenAI ethically and effectively. This includes understanding its benefits and drawbacks, using strategies to produce the best output from GenAI tools, implementing methods to evaluate information produced by GenAI tools, and attributing information from GenAI tools.

Developing these skills helps prepare Transy students make responsible decisions about GenAI responsibly and ethically in all aspects of their lives. Therefore, this GenAI microcourse and website were designed to increase students' knowledge of GenAI so that they can make informed decisions about whether and how to use GenAI appropriately and effectively.

Transy Library has created this microcourse to teach students best practices when using AI tools. The microcourse is designed for faculty to assign specific modules based on course curriculum and student needs rather than requiring students to complete every module. Prior to assigning a module, please ask students to review the “Student Introduction” module.

This microcourse is not endorsing students’ use of GenAI in their academic work. Students will see the following when they enroll in the course: "These modules do not grant approval to use GenAI at Transy. Before using any GenAI tool, please check with your professor to learn if GenAI can be used, and how its use should be cited. Refer to Transy’s Academic Integrity Policy for further guidance in using GenAI."

What Is the "Generative AI Guide for Students"?

The library has created a website about artificial intelligence for students for students to quickly find information on a specific topic relating to AI. The website has topics similar to those covered in the microcourse. Some topics include the following:

explanation of AI,
AI and academic integrity,
capabilities of AI,
ethical considerations of AI,
in/appropriate uses of AI,
GenAI and college writing,
creating prompts for AI,
assessing AI-generated content,
citing AI, and
AI resources.

Image Source: By mikemacmarketing at https://flickr.com/photos/152824664@N07/30188200627

What Is the Content of the Microcourse?

There are three sections of the microcourse: Introducing GenAI, Accessing GenAI Tools at Transy, and Using GenAI Effectively. Each section includes four lessons, each containing the following: a pre-knowledge check, content on the topic, a quiz, and a reflection. The twelve lessons and their learning objectives are below.

Introducing GenAI

Introducing GenAI
1. To articulate how Generative Artificial Intelligence works
Capabilities and Limitations of GenAI
1. To explain the capabilities and limitations of GenAI tools
Ethical Considerations of GenAI
1. To identify a limitation of GenAI and its implications for ethical use
GenAI and Academic Ethics at Transy
1. To explain how academic integrity policies can be followed when using GenAI in the college classroom

Accessing GenAI Tools at Transy

GenAI at Transy (ChatGPT & Gemini)
1. To access GenAI tools available through Transylvania University and identify features of these tools
Creating GPTs
1. To explain what a GPT is and how to create a GPT
Creating Gems
1. To explain what a GEM is and how to create a GEM
Notebook LM
1. To access Notebook LM and identify its features

Using GenAI Effectively

Basic Prompting
1. To design an effective prompt to use in a GenAI tool
Advanced Prompting
1. To design an advanced prompt through the use of context, examples, and chaining to create better output in a GenAI tool
Evaluating GenAI Responses
1. To use lateral reading to fact-check the accuracy of a claim made by GenAI
GenAI and College Writing
1. To explain when and how GenAI can be used in the writing process

How Can Students Access the Microcourse?

The microcourse is hosted in Canvas. You can share this link with students so they can self-enroll. Students can also search for the microcourse (26-27 GenAI Microcourse) in Canvas.

How Can I Preview the Microcourse Content?

Instructors can use the link to self-enroll in the microcourse just like students. The content of each lesson is in a forced sequence, meaning it has to be completed in order.

You must complete the Pre-Knowledge Check to view the Content, view the Content to access the Quiz, and so on. To preview the content, simply click on the lesson you want to view.

How Should I Use the Microcourse in My Course?

We recommend assigning standalone lessons throughout the semester, or assigning a specific lesson that relates to some aspect of your course (i.e., Evaluating GenAI Responses when you assign a research assignment).

Students will be able to leave the microcourse after completing a lesson and return to their saved progress.

We do not recommend assigning the entire microcourse at once unless you give students plenty of time to work through each lesson throughout the semester.

How Will I Know if Students Completed Assigned Lessons?

To determine if students completed assigned lessons, contact Katrina Salley at ksalley@transy.edu.

In-class GenAI Activities

This In-Class Activities Google document lists the in-class activities for each module. Feel free to incorporate these activities into your class sessions or request a librarian to facilitate an activity in your course.

Feedback

Faculty and students can provide digital feedback on individual lessons.

Contact Us

If you decide to incorporate this module into your course, please complete this form so that we can let you know when the material is updated and gather feedback and suggestions on how to improve this microcourse. You may also email us at library@transy.edu.

Contact a librarian for further support through in-class instruction (in person or online), research assignment design, selection of open educational resources, etc.

Credits

This microcourse is adapted from the following microcourses:

Southern Methodist University’s Introduction to Generative AI (2024)
Southern Methodist University’s Thinking Critically about Generative AI (2025)
University of Louisville's Generative AI for College Students (2024)
University of Maryland's AI and Information Literacy (2024)

A special thanks to the Digital Liberal Arts program for providing feedback and suggestions on this microcourse.

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