TECHNOLOGY
make a difference in the world will make them valuable assets to business and society. The school’s focus means that assessment is not simply about testing knowledge but also assessing students’ ability to apply that knowledge and solve real-world problems. Their ability to do this in a selective and discriminatory way shows us that they can put their education to good use. Our formative assessment approach also ensures that tutors can keep track of individual students’ progress and offer feedback at regular intervals along the way. In order to receive appropriate feedback around their use of AI‑generated content, students must present their sources of information adequately throughout, emphasising the importance of transparency in this context. When this is done effectively, AI is a valuable research tool that helps students evaluate output and provide a rationale for all the evidence selected and included in their final submissions. However, this is not the only way in which AI is being used in assessments at our school. In projects, students work with employers in a consulting capacity to produce drafts of AI‑generated solutions to real-world problems. They critique, refine and further develop the initial AI iteration to either strengthen the solution or produce alternative solutions. In addition, event management academics at the school encourage students to generate a newspaper article on a particular event using ChatGPT. Taking this as a first draft, students then review and develop the article, providing additional evidence and data from recently published sources, media, industry research and reports, as well as the opinions of key people and community groups. Carving a pathway for AI in business education Generative AI does present significant challenges for business schools, but this is inherent in disruptive technologies. For those who are willing to embrace the challenge, the opportunities are manifold. We believe that the model adopted at Sheffield Business School can provide a pathway for other institutions. Let early‑adopter academics at your school lead the charge in sharing best practices and building confidence among colleagues. This should encompass ways in which generative AI can be used to shape formative and summative assessments, with a view to pushing the frontiers of learning and enriching students’ learning experiences. Having said that, it is important to take the challenges and potential pitfalls of AI seriously and put measures in place to address them. Institutions must also set clear guidelines for students on expectations in relation to appropriates uses of the technology and the consequences for any misuse. Given that AI continues to evolve rapidly, with new features and capabilities appearing every other month, business schools must seek to stay at the vanguard, grappling with new features and finding innovative ways to apply them in teaching and assessment. The future is disruptive, but it is all the more exciting for that very reason.
must become more creative and intentional to build on this foundation of knowledge with new layers of competence testing and performance evaluation. In short, business schools must do better in moving from assessing ‘know-what’ to assessing ‘know-how’ and ‘show-how’. And guess what? The biggest ally in this challenging but exciting journey is digital technology. Imagine deploying AI to create assessments based on gamified business simulations and strategy challenges. Imagine creating customised versions of ChatGPT that offer tailored learning to individual students. Consider the impact of a tireless AI tutor that offers as much feedback – and ‘feedforward’ – as a student wants, whenever they want it. Generative AI could become your enemy, but with the right approach, it is sure to be a fine ally. Generative AI as ally Alongside the explosion of AI in education there has been a business school revolution, as authentic learning and assessment has been pushed to the forefront of course and curriculum design. At Sheffield Business School, the process of accepting AI has been less intimidating than some may have experienced because of the school’s focus on facilitating personalisation and inclusion, alongside employability and enterprise. Indeed, our early‑adopter academics are growing in confidence and increasingly welcome the use of AI in their teaching. They recognise that its use in business is already widespread and will be integral to the day-to-day requirements expected of business graduates. As educators of responsible future leaders, these faculty members also acknowledge the need to encompass AI in the learning experience as part of their role to prepare students for the world of work. For example, the school has always briefed students about the need to cite their sources and communications regarding AI are no different. Our current regulations acknowledge the likely use of AI while stressing that “attempting to pass off work created by AI as your own is cheating”. Most importantly, we encourage students to be transparent about using the technology, in the same way as they would when using any other tool or source. Academics, meanwhile, are beginning to see the benefits of promoting AI as a research tool that can support students tasked with structuring a written piece of work. Alongside this, the school advises students as to the technology’s limitations, by pointing out instances in which it can be inaccurate, show bias, fabricate references and put data security at risk. The place of AI in assessing applied knowledge Sheffield Business School approaches teaching and assessment with the aim of facilitating engagement with businesses and delivering problem-based learning that is unique to an organisation and its associated context. With the emphasis on applied learning, this method requires students to be creative, curious and courageous. In this, we believe that developing a combination of humanistic skills, expertise in AI and a desire to
Ambition | NOVEMBER 2024 | 33
Made with FlippingBook - Share PDF online