School of Public Health Faculty Member Explores Using AI to Enhance Biostatistics Learning

ATLANTA — Using a mini-grant from Georgia State University’s Center for Excellence in Teaching, Learning and Online Education, Assistant Professor of Biostatistics Karen Nielsen is developing course materials that seek to prepare students to ethically and effectively use generative artificial intelligence in a range of quantitative subjects.

“I have not spoken to a single instructor who has not grappled with generative AI in their teaching,” said Nielsen, of Georgia State's School of Public Health. “Maintaining academic honesty when using generative AI will be one aspect of this project, but I also want students to be able to leverage generative AI for self-guided learning.”

The course materials Nielsen is developing, which will be available to faculty across campus, will include general content on ethical considerations and privacy concerns, as well as specific information on using generative AI for learning statistics concepts and improving programming skills.

“Generative AI has the potential to serve as a free, private tutor for students, but students still need to develop critical thinking and problem-solving skills to be successful in biostatistics coursework,” she said. “Like calculators and statistical software, generative AI is a tool that today’s students will be expected to understand and use ethically in their careers.”