[Cce-faculty-list] faculty forum on students' use of AI tools?

Thu Aug 7 13:15:01 EDT 2025

Dennis and all,

I think that the forum is a good idea. I do have a concern with the use 
of AI by students in the
courses that deal with fundamentals. It is expressed somewhat in the 
publications shared by Phillip.

/“a key irony of automation is that by mechanising routine tasks and 
leaving exception-handling
to the human user, you deprive the user of the routine opportunities to 
practice their judgement
and strengthen their cognitive musculature, leaving them atrophied and 
unprepared when the
exceptions do arise,” /

I would change routine tasks to "fundamentals"...and "exceptions" to 
"innovations".

It is a worthy topic of discussion, while like with social media, the 
genie is
already out of the bottle, and it has become a task of education and 
proper regulation
perhaps.

best...Julio

On 8/7/25 10:53 AM, Phillip S Dunston wrote:
> Colleagues,
> The attached 2025 article from CMU and Microsoft researchers seems 
> worthy of our consideration:
>
> For a quick explanation, here are summaries from /Forbes/ and 
> /Entrepreneur/:
>
>  *
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>  *
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>
>
> Best,
> Phillip
>
> /////////////////////////////////////
> Phillip S. Dunston
> Director, Office of Professional Practice (OPP)
> Professor, Lyles School of Civil and Construction Engineering (LSCCE)
> Purdue University
>
> Hampton Hall of Civil Engineering, Room 1243
> 550 Stadium Mall Drive
> West Lafayette, IN 47907-2051
> 765-494-0640 <callto:+1765-494-0640> Office (CE/CEM)
> 765-494-0644 <callto:+1765-494-0644> Fax
> https://engineering.purdue.edu/CEM <https://engineering.purdue.edu/CEM>
>
> Office of Professional Practice
> Lambertus Hall, Room 2268
> 363 North Grant St.
> West Lafayette, IN 47907
> 765-496-3598 <callto:+1765-496-3598> Office
> opp.purdue.edu <https://opp.purdue.edu>
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
> *From:* Cce-faculty-list <cce-faculty-list-bounces at ecn.purdue.edu> on 
> behalf of Theodore J Weidner <tjweidne at purdue.edu>
> *Sent:* Tuesday, August 5, 2025 4:48 PM
> *To:* Robert B Jacko <jacko at purdue.edu>; Dennis A Lyn 
> <lyn at purdue.edu>; 'CCE-Faculty-list at ecn.purdue.edu' 
> <cce-faculty-list at ecn.purdue.edu>
> *Subject:* Re: [Cce-faculty-list] faculty forum on students' use of AI 
> tools?
>
> Colleagues,
>
> I have used ChatGPT in CEM 40100 – Critical Thinking in Construction 
> Engineering.
>
> I provide a problem to the students, ask them to write their prompt to 
> ChatGPT, receive the response, and then critically analyze the 
> response for thoroughness.
>
> The goal of the problem is to get students to focus on the topic, 
> consider a wide range of issues affecting the topic, and develop a 
> clear argument to arrive at their position.  The ‘easy’ answer is not 
> necessarily the best or most thoughtful answer.
>
> *Theodore J. Weidner, Ph.D., PE, RA, NCARB, DBIA, F.ASCE*
> /Professor of Engineering Practice/
>
> Lyles School of Civil and Construction Engineering
>
> Delon and Elizabeth Hampton Hall of Civil Engineering
>
> Purdue University
>
> HAMP 1245
>
> 550 Stadium Mall Drive
>
> West Lafayette, IN  47907-2051
>
> tjweidne at purdue.edu <mailto:tjweidne at purdue.edu> | 765-494-2250
>
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> *//*
>
> *From:* Cce-faculty-list <cce-faculty-list-bounces at ecn.purdue.edu> *On 
> Behalf Of *Robert B Jacko
> *Sent:* Tuesday, August 5, 2025 4:41 PM
> *To:* Dennis A Lyn <lyn at purdue.edu>; 'CCE-Faculty-list at ecn.purdue.edu' 
> <cce-faculty-list at ecn.purdue.edu>
> *Subject:* Re: [Cce-faculty-list] faculty forum on students' use of AI 
> tools?
>
> Dennis and Colleagues,  Last year I required the use of ChatGpt in my 
> CE 557, Air Quality Management class and it was very instructive and 
> eye opening to all the students.  I plan to require it this fall 
> semester again.  Attached is the portion of my syllabus specifying the 
> rules about the use of ChatGpt FYI.
>
> Bob
>
> _______________________
>
> Robert B. Jacko,Ph.D., P.E.
>
> Professor of Civil Engineering
>
> School of Civil and Construction Engineering
>
> Purdue University
>
> 550 Stadium Mall Drive
>
> West Lafayette, IN 47907
>
> 765-494-2199
>
>
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