This article is the first in a multipart series that examines how artificial intelligence has been changing many core aspects of college and student life.
Artificial intelligence is becoming part of everyday life at Kirkwood Community College, with faculty using AI in the classroom and to create marketing and communication materials while students turn to the technology as a study tool.
The college is taking an open approach to the use of AI. The official Board Policy 706 states, “The College recognizes AI as a powerful and transformative tool capable of fostering innovation, enhancing institutional efficiency, and preparing students with the advanced competencies required by the modern workforce. Any use of AI by members of the college community must be responsible and ethical.” The question remains: When there are no clearly defined limits on the use of AI, what does responsible and ethical look like?
Taking a closer look into how AI is integrated into Kirkwood programs, Tara Allen, coordinator of Marketing Management in the Business and IT department, said, “I use AI in almost all of my courses for assignments. We must stay up to date with industry standards. In marketing, the expectation is knowing how to prompt AI.”
Kirkwood hosts many events that require advertising. Allen said her students use generative AI to practice prompt engineering.
“We make a lot of flyers. For instance, last year, my students made advertisements for Kirkwood events about Stress Awareness Month,” she said. “We also work with small businesses who do not have the resources on their own to help them grow. We use AI to analyze and make marketing plans. When the business uses it, the business grows.”
This past April, the main graphic for the Kirkwood-sponsored event “The Sound of Jazz” was created with AI assistance and featured on printed programs and posted on social media. In the background of the artwork, the silhouettes either had extra or missing extremities. Some were morphed together.
“I did not see that advertisement, but I believe that was a prompting issue,” said Allen. “There should be checks and balances for an ad going out. The person who approved that was the one to let it go.
A human could do the same thing, put the wrong date on a flyer. It happens all the time. Humans make about 30% mistakes, so I expect about 30% mistakes from AI since it is mimicking the human brain.”
From a student perspective, Julia Love-Blozvich, diagnostic assistant program, said, “I have never used AI to study, but I have used ChatGPT in the past for day-to-day life.”
Regarding the AI-generated flyer that was used for “The Sound of Jazz” event, she said, “It makes me feel that the event didn’t have much thought or effort put into it, like it was rushed.”
“Some good alternatives to the AI-generated flyer would have been Kirkwood graphic designer employees or students creating their own artwork for the flyer. That would be nice to see. Even holding an art contest for students to design a flyer would be fun and rewarding,” she added.
Categories: Feature
