Artificial Intelligence
Getting Started with AI: A Practical Guide for Faculty
The rapid evolution of AI tools like ChatGPT has left many faculty unsure where to begin. The steps below are designed to cut through the noise and help you adopt AI in a way that supports your teaching, saves time, and stays grounded in your goals.
This three-step guide walks you through identifying where AI could be most useful in your work, selecting a prompting approach that fits your needs, and—if you're ready—creating a custom ChatGPT model tailored to your voice and context. Each step includes a practical activity and downloadable resource to help you get started right away.
Step 1: Identify What You Actually Need
Before diving into tools or prompts, it’s important to start with your specific context. What tasks take the most time or energy in your teaching? Where do you need more clarity, creativity, or consistency? This step helps you surface your own needs so AI can serve your goals—not the other way around.
Use Step 1 to name your pain points and priorities. This reflection lays the foundation for choosing the right AI strategies later.
Step 2: Choose a Prompting Framework That Fits
Not all prompts are created equal—and not all approaches to prompting will serve your needs. This step outlines three adaptable frameworks that help you communicate effectively with AI tools like ChatGPT.
Use Step 2 to find a prompting style that matches your goals and working style. Whether you want quick ideas, polished drafts, or structured feedback, the right framework can save time and improve results.
Step 3: Build Your Own ChatGPT Model
Once you’ve identified your needs and learned how to prompt well, you may want to streamline your workflow even further. This step walks you through creating a custom GPT model trained on your preferences, language, and teaching context.
Use Step 3 to build a personal teaching assistant that’s responsive to you. Your model can remember your tone, priorities, and style—making it easier to generate course materials, communications, or ideas that feel like yours.