GenAI in Workshops: A Bonus Module to Instructor Training

The Carpentries is excited to launch a new bonus module to Instructor Training, GenAI in Workshops, designed to empower Instructors to account for learners’ use of generative AI chatbot tools in their workshops.

Why now?

We developed the bonus module in response to the growing numbers of reports we have received from Instructors who have observed frequent chatbot use among their learners. (This is a trend across many educational settings, which is probably one reason why the new series of community sessions on GenAI and Teaching is proving so popular.)

Opinions within the Instructor community on the technology itself are strong and varied, but its impact on workshops is increasingly clear. The bonus module is a timely opportunity for our community members to develop strategies to meet the moment and ensure that their teaching remains as impactful as possible.

Aims and structure of the bonus module

After participating in the bonus module, Instructors will be able to

• Identify challenges and opportunities presented by genAI chatbots to novices learning to adopt computational research practices.
• Engage learners in discussions of genAI chatbot use in the context of a Carpentries workshop.
• Build a positive learning environment that encourages openness and critical analysis of prompts given to a chatbot and outputs received.
• Discuss the implications of expert awareness gaps in the context of chatbot use.
• Advise learners on how to increase the likelihood of a genAI chatbot producing output that will help them learn.
• Summarise existing studies of the effects of genAI tool usage on software development productivity.
• Discuss how the skills that learners need to develop, and their motivation to acquire those skills, are affected by the coding capabilities of genAI tools.

The bonus module will be delivered in six-hour sessions, led by some of our most experienced Instructor Trainers. Referring to the foundational principles of the Instructor Training program, the curriculum leads participants through a series of exercises and discussions to explore effective strategies to maximise learning in the presence of AI tools.

What’s next?

These bonus module sessions are now open for registration through July and August. Learn more about the cost of participation in the module on the pricing page, and get in touch with us when you are ready to register.