As we just started the spring semester, I've been thinking about some challenges my AP World History students face—especially those who take the course in the fall. They struggle to recall content and often refer to it as a "distant past." To help, I assigned them note-taking for participation points and taught different strategies, letting students pick what suited them best. Most students engaged with this, but some took a shortcut by submitting AI-generated responses that, while polished, didn't quite match the material we covered.
Over winter break, I looked into ways to help students use AI better. I came across a lesson by history teacher Jonathan Jones on Edutopia where students analyzed a ChatGPT bio of Frederick Douglass, finding errors and discussing their implications. I plan to try this at the beginning of the course this year. I am wondering if I can use this strategy with the history of the Black Death, a topic we covered early in the semester, and if any documents from the primary source collection would work for that.
Have you all tried something like this in your classes? I'd love to hear your thoughts, tips, or anything you've found helpful for guiding students to use AI in productive ways. Thanks in advance!