Bridges and Bytes

The hottest topic this year in our university is generative artificial intelligence and its use in assessments. In Season 1 of this podcast, we're giving a voice to engineering and architecture students to share their views on AI and Assessment. Many students will remember the stress of doing closed-book invigilated exams in big exam halls that are far too warm in summer and far too cold in winter. Others will remember sitting online exams during Covid, when you know everyone else could be cheating.

There are many different forms of assessment used at UCD, and they all have their pros and cons. We've dedicated a full episode to six forms of assessment: (1) closed book exams (2) reflective assignments, (3) online exams, (4) lab reports, (5) individual assignments and (6) group projects. Our students have put a huge amount of work into gathering facts and figures and viewpoints from academics, librarians, industry professionals and other students.

The means the podcast will contain all sorts of discussions, debates, contrasting views, candid admissions and innovative ideas. So stay tuned to hear what we have to say. We even have a special final episode that will review the main highlights from the season, as well as tips and tricks.

So if you like what you hear, please like, share and subscribe and happy listening!

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This episode explores the evolving role of AI in academic assessments, particularly its impact on closed-book exams. The discussion covers how closed-book exams help prevent AI-assisted cheating, the potential future integration of AI tools in exams, and the challenges of using AI for grading, including concerns about reliability and fairness. Tune in to understand the future of education in the AI era.

Hosts: Thomas Doyle, Thomas O’Dea and Tara Cullinane (3rd Year Elec. Engineering)

Producer: Eoin Ryan

Production Coordinator: Cathal O’Greagoir

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This episode explores how AI is changing group projects and assessments. We discuss tools like Otter.ai and Thesify.ai, which can enhance collaboration but also pose challenges in maintaining authentic student work. Tune in to learn how AI impacts the dynamics of group assignments and what it means for the future of university assessments.

Hosts and Writers: Amy Lawrence (Stage 4 Structural Engineering) and Palakshi Rattan (Stage 4 Elec Engineering)

Producer: Ashly Antony - Masters in Sustainable Technology

Production Coordinator: Anirudh Krishnamurthysurya - Masters in Food Engineering

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Resources:

Otter.ai - A tool used for recording and transcribing meetings, which can be helpful in group projects. [https://otter.ai]

Thesify.ai - A tool that assists in generating work plans, structuring papers, and evaluating them, particularly useful for group work. [https://www.thesify.ai]

Notion - An organisational tool that includes AI features for summarising data, brainstorming, and tracking participation in group projects. [https://www.notion.so]

Tom's Planner - An AI tool that generates Gantt charts for project management. [https://www.tomsplanner.com]

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In this episode, we explore the impact of AI on lab report writing, highlighting its benefits and challenges for students. Discover how AI tools can streamline data analysis and support non-native English speakers in crafting better reports.

Hosts: Conor Murphy, Leo Jennings and Thomas O’Brien (1st Year General Engineering)

Producer: Caitlin Hetherton – (1st Year General Engineering)

As part of the research for this episode interviews were conducted with Dr. Morgan Fraser and Dr. Nuala Caffrey (who oversees 3rd and 4th year physics computational labs), and Dr. Tom Hooper, the module coordinator for 1st Year Chemistry for Engineers.

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This episode examines the unique power of reflective assignments (journals, logs diaries), which, when done properly, require the genuine thoughts and feelings of students—something AI can’t truly replicate. However, the discussion also acknowledges the risk of AI being used to craft reflections. Listen in for a nuanced exploration of how reflection fosters critical thinking and how oral presentations may help preserve academic integrity in the AI era.

Hosts: Joe Biju, Ali Khan and Moaz Refaei (Stage 1 General Engineering)

Producers: Anrai Lawlor and Ray Fosal (Stage 1 General Engineering)

As part of the research for this episode, interviews were conducted with Dr. Paul Cuffe, an Assistant Professor at UCD, and Aldan Creo, a technology research specialist at Accenture Labs in Dublin.

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