ENN1504 Assignment 3 PORTFOLIO (DETAILED ANSWERS) MAY JUNE 2024 - DISTINCTION GUARANTEED

ENN1504 PORTFOLIO (DETAILED ANSWERS) MAY JUNE 2024 - DISTINCTION GUARANTEED - DISTINCTION GUARANTEED - DISTINCTION GUARANTEED Answers, guidelines, workings and references ...... QUESTION 1: MINUTES OF A MEETING BACKGROUND The performance of students at the University of the South, an open distance and e-learning institution, is on the decline because students submit assignments which are not original; they simply copy and paste answers generated by Chatbots, using artificial intelligence. A Teaching and Learning Ad hoc Committee in which academics, administrators and students are represented, has been constituted. The committee held a meeting to deliberate on the dynamics of relying on chatbots when writing assignments by the students. ENN1504 MAY/JUN 2024 Page 4 of 10 INSTRUCTIONS Below is a transcript (exact words written down) of what was said under the relevant agenda item under which the matter of students’ relying on the chatbots when writing assignments was discussed. As the minuting secretary of the Teaching and Learning Ad hoc Committee, it is your duty to take minutes during meetings. The matter was discussed under agenda item 4.1. dynamics (benefits and disadvantages) of relying on chatbots when writing assignments. Write the minutes for agenda item 4.1 only. This means that the complete format for minutes is not required. Remember that in taking minutes, we carefully select and summarise information, and make changes to style and grammar. Note that you should not record what each person said in turn. You should use the linear format (in sentences and paragraphs) of writing minutes. Your minutes should be 1 page in length. TRANSCRIPT Prof Song (Chair): Ladies and gentlemen, now that we are done with the issue of supplementary examinations, let us now turn our attention to the declining students’ performance caused by academic dishonesty. There is a growing concern from academics who are forced to fail assignments which lack originality. Therefore, the purpose of this meeting is to share with student representatives what their peers are doing while preparing their assignments, and how their practices result in poor academic performance. Let me give this opportunity to Dr Sibeko who will address you on behalf of lecturers; she has been collating information about assignment contents from her peers and analysing trends that are emerging. Dr Sibeko: Thank you very much, Chair, and greetings to colleagues and students. In our previous Teaching Learning Committee meeting, we decided to form this special committee not only to share but also to educate students about dynamics of relying on chatbots when writing and presenting their assignments. We noted that in ENN1504 MAY/JUN 2024 Page 5 of 10 modules like Practising Workplace English and some literature modules, students are failing to respond creatively to the background information and scenarios given. Instead of engaging the context to come up with original responses, students tend to rely on the internet and Artificial Intelligence (AI) to generate answers and essays to literary questions. While this may appear to be a quick solution, it must be noted that academics are specialists in their modules; they are able to easily detect when the style of writing is changing from one paragraph to the next - or when the answer is not original. It looks like Nthabiseng wants to ask something already. Can I finish, Chair? Prof Song: Dr Sibeko, let’s allow her to speak. Nthabiseng, can you be brief for now? The doctor has not finished yet. Nthabiseng: Thanks, Prof. I just wanted to highlight that saying academics are here to educate us about chatbots is rather patronising. I think as student representatives, we are here to share our opinions on the matter as much as academics are here to share theirs. We are not attending this meeting in our personal capacities; we are leaders of students. Dr Sibeko: My apologies, Nthabiseng and other student leaders. The point I was making was that students need to adapt their ways of using chatbots for assignments because if they don’t, they will keep failing these modules. Therefore, by saying ‘educate’, I mean there must be a change in behaviour and attitude. Nthabiseng: (Nods her head in agreement) Dr Sibeko: Back to the issue at hand, some students simply copy and paste answers generated by chatbots. In the process, they forget that assessors expect answers that accurately align with the scenarios given. While robots like ChatGPT can generate human-like answers and interpretations, there are nuances in a text that only humans can subtly communicate. Thabang: As a student leader, I am of the view that our respectable academics must help students navigate generative AI with more wisdom than to threaten us with failure. This is an information age, ENN1504 MAY/JUN 2024 Page 6 of 10 and students are digital natives. Help us use these platforms ethically, like we do acknowledge other sources we cite from time to time. Prof Song: Thank you, Dr Sibeko. I think we are heading in the right direction. Indeed, Thabang, the academics want to share some insights about more dynamics that you need to be aware of as you use artificial intelligence. You are correct to say there is no way we can separate today’s students from the internet. It is in their veins. Colleagues, let us have more inputs. Dr Smith: Thank you, Chair. Students can use chatbot technology to enhance learning, instead of copying answers. Because the technology is generative, students can compare their original answers to the ones they generate through AI. In this way, they would be able to get a second opinion against which they can measure their own output. I call it an ‘opinion’ because students must have confidence in their own effort and understand that their first draft is work in progress. Alternatively, they can use chatbots while brainstorming ideas but understand that they must still write the assignment on their own, in order to earn a degree. Ms Brown: I fully concur with Dr Smith. However, we must understand that chatbots do generate wrong answers from time to time. This is called AI hallucination, which happens when a chatbot gives an answer that is factually inaccurate, or when its content generator fabricates information but presents it as truth. More importantly, it may not provide localised examples like human beings who are aware of what is happening in their social, political and economic context. In this way, your teachers know when your answer is original because it integrates everyday realities – like how people in the Tswaing metro have been complaining about garbage collection due to the protracted strike by the workers, how those in the Thutong region feel neglected due to poor road infrastructure in their villages, and other realities. ENN1504 MAY/JUN 2024 Page 7 of 10 Nthabiseng: Now I agree with you, my learned teachers. We had always thought AI was a solution to all our academic problems. Now I see that it can stifle our creativity and lead to dependency. Prof Song: I am happy that we now speak in unison. Let me close this meeting by reiterating that the human mind is more capable than we imagine. It is loaded with past and present experiences as well as intuition. These are discernible from what we write as students. Now, disseminate this information through your student social platforms, and the academics will do the same. I wish to thank all of you for your contributions. The meeting is adjourned. SUB-TOTAL: [50 MARKS] QUESTION 2: INVESTIGATIVE REPORT BACKGROUND You are an Administrator in the office of Dr Moloi, the Director of the Teaching and Learning Unit at University of the South. The Student Representative Council (SRC), on behalf of the students registered for Practising Workplace English, has written a letter to the Director in which they seek his intervention as they cannot cope with the assessment demands of the module. Most of these students have been out of school for a long time and need more attention, whilst some rely on AI ,like ChatGPT to write their assignments instead of being original. The Director, Dr Moloi, has asked you to investigate possible ways of assisting students to improve their performance in the module, Practising Workplace English. The report should be submitted on 30 May 2024. INSTRUCTIONS Write an investigative report into possible ways of assisting students to improve their performance in the module, Practising Workplace English. You are to submit the report to Dr Moloi by 30 May 2024. Your report should be about 2-3 pages in length. Use the following headings and sub-headings: ENN1504 MAY/JUN 2024 Page 8 of 10 TITLE Information to be included in title should relate to what the investigation is about, where it is taking place and why it is to be conducted. 1. TERMS OF REFERENCE The following information should be included: date on which you were commissioned to conduct the investigation, the name and position of the person who commissioned you, your name and your position, the essence of the report, and date for the submission of the report and recommendations. 2. PROCEDURES Identify at least four (4) methods/steps/procedures followed to collect information from various sources. It is imperative that each method/step/procedure is numbered and mentions the purpose. 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 3. FINDINGS Present the factual information found during the investigation under each method/step/procedure used above to collect information. This means four (4) findings are expected as per your procedures identified above. 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 ENN1504 MAY/JUN 2024 Page 9 of 10 4. CONCLUSIONS Comment, analyse and interpret the factual information (findings) above. Do not provide more than four (4) conclusions. 4.1 4.2 4.3 5. RECOMMENDATIONS Provide possible options or actions in relation to the purpose of the investigation. Do not instruct but make suggestions that you think can be followed to resolve the issue. Present two or three (2-3) recommendations. 5.1 5.2 5.3 COMPILER’S DETAIL This is the ending of your investigative report. Provide your signature, title, name and surname followed by your position in the organisation. Finally, write the date.