Artificial Intelligence Tools for Content Production in Academia

Purpose
The course will provide participants with an overview of AI tools that can be effectively used in the production of content in the academic field. The program consists of a first part aimed at providing a theoretical and technical framework on the types of AI and their main areas of application, and a second part focused on the concrete analysis of available tools and their primary uses.

Learning Objectives
By the end of the course, participants will have acquired knowledge about the main types of AI and the underlying technologies, as well as skills related to the functioning and potential of the main AI tools available on the World Wide Web, and their possible application in various fields.

Course Program
First Part: Introduction to Generative AI
Topics covered:
- What is artificial intelligence
- Basic concepts of machine learning
- Generative AI and language models

Second Part: AI Tools and Their Possible Uses
Topics covered:
- Idea generation, brainstorming, and definition of outline for content
- Not just ChatGPT and LLM: AI tools or AI-powered free or freemium tools for research
- Prompt engineering: guidelines and tools for generating effective prompts
- Risks of AI: examples of bad practices (images, scientific articles, etc.)
- Best Practices and guidelines: STM Publishers’ Association, COPE, ISMPP, etc.

Assessment Method: multiple-choice test on the first part and unsupervised group work with feedback/discussion in class for the second part. The assessment takes place during the last lesson.

Delivery Method: In-presence
Duration: 9 hours of in-person lectures divided into 1 lecture of 3 hours (first part) and 2 lectures of 3 hours (second part), plus 16 hours of individual online work (3 for the first part and 12 for the second part). In the second in-person lesson of the second part, feedback on the online activity will be provided.

  • March 27 from 3 PM to 6 PM – Room V, Via Zamboni 38
  • April 2 from 3 PM to 6 PM – Room A S. Cristina, Piazzetta Giorgio Morandi, 2
  • May 20 from 3 PM to 6 PM – Room III, Via Zamboni 38


Registrations will open on Tuesday, March 11, at 9:00 AM on the website: https://iscrizioni-eventi.unibo.it/

Language of the course: English
Lecturers: Prof. Paolo Torroni, Dott. Alessandro Gallo     
Doctoral Credits: 1 doctoral credit.