In the fall of 2025, IU enrolled all of its students in an online course called Gen AI 101, which earned students a microcredential that showed they had been trained to use artificial intelligence (AI) in an efficient way as a tool and thought partner. Some classes, including Foundations of Journalism and Mass Communications, have even asked students to complete this course.
AI has been a topic of conversation in recent years, not just in business, but in schools, like Indiana University. It has become a big part of both the teaching and the learning process. It has integrated into many small processes, along with being there as a resource for some college students that do use it within their educational pursuits. Some use it to help them brainstorm, others as an example producer or even a way to help them write. For some, it is used as a search engine.
“GenAI works best as a thought partner that can iterate, create, and collaborate with you across multiple formats and tasks,” says Brian Williams, of accounting and the faculty chair of the Virtual Advanced Business Technologies Department at IU's Kelley School of Business.
IU’s goal for this course for students is to prepare for the workforce by learning those skills needed that are both innovative and ethical in the use of AI. The course is set up into eight sections where students learn different ways to use AI as a tool and see where AI fails to reach.
Each module has a specific part of AI training, but also critical analysis of what AI is truly doing and what it's not. They start out by teaching students how to fact check AI and avoid “hallucinations.” A “hallucination” is when the AI answers a question where there is a definite answer and is wrong. This is an important part of teaching students how to navigate the use of AI as a tool rather than a search engine or a generator of final statements and products.
After watching the lectures, students are expected to use a language model to complete a task within the module's requirements. They also give students access to their own language mode, Crimson Jr., that can be accessed through their Canvas page. Some of these tasks include having AI create a schedule, a checklist or even search something so the course can teach you how to fact check the information that the bot is giving to prove just how unuseful of a search engine it can be and how it relies on relevance over accuracy.
In simple terms, some students are not pro generative AI. One of the reasons for this is because of the environmental impacts. AI uses a large amount of water and minerals. It is powered by data centers that cause an excess amount of greenhouse gas. This is a growing concern about multiple types of technology to clarify as data centers don’t just power AI, but a lot of internet functions consumers use. This is important to mention as AI is criticised largely for its water consumption and emissions.
Going into this course with an open mind will reveal that the course is not blind to some of the issues that AI has. That being said, not every method of usage for these language models is used ethically. The course focused on a more practical approach, rather than using language models to generate work like art, essays or answers people may look for on Google. AI is not equipped to be a search engine, and the course speaks on this along with giving students hints about how to navigate when it provides answers to see if it is factual.
Generative AI raises many questions on its ethics and morals as the language model takes what it is given and creates a generated image or script. There isn't a human connection or creativity.
The range of how students feel about this topic is so broad that the difference of opinions is a necessary step in bringing up the topic.
Some students don't use AI for school-related work and activities but use it recreationally. Some use it as a tool or thought partner for their own personal endeavors. Other students may not have found the course to be helpful within their field or interests because of this or they may not see a need for it within their field of study, like American Sign Language (ASL).
“Honestly, I didn't really pay much attention to it because as I said before I only use it for craft ideas and nothing else,” said Laura Riley, an ASL interpreting major who took the course.
With this in mind, a student from a more technology involved field may use the engine more outside of personal creation. The debate of AI usage is a controversial and range in opinion debate.
The goal of the course is to prepare for using it in the workforce. The course specifically encourages the use of language models as a brainstorming tool rather than a generator of final products and answers.
AI has become a huge part of how students and the public in general navigate technology. The debate of how AI is used continues as it is not a black and white conversation and is evolving very quickly. There are issues of ethical practice along with the environmental impact that this technology plays in today's world.
When teaching students the uses of AI it is important to acknowledge what it is and what it's not. The GenAI class is a course that explores areas of that middle ground while giving guidance towards the future of AI in the workforce. It does this to prepare students for what to expect.
Devin Bates (they/he) is a journalism major at IU Indianapolis with an interest in writing and the arts. In their free time they can be found working on their project cars or writing, but he also enjoys crafts like cosplay and listening to music or gaming.
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