Brace-Student-Reactions.md

Summary of Student Reactions to Brace

Positive Reactions

1. Customization and Personalization

   • Many students appreciated the ability to customize their interaction with Brace, making the AI feel more tailored to their preferences.
   • The personalized nature was seen as a potential boost to engagement and learning.

2. Course-Specific Assistance

   • Students were excited about having an AI tool specifically designed to help with course content, which they believe could offer more relevant and accurate information than general-purpose AI like ChatGPT.
   • The integration with Canvas and specific course assignments is highly valued.

3. Efficiency and Availability

   • The notion of having a perpetually available "tutor" was appealing.
   • Some students were optimistic that Brace could streamline repetitive tasks and save time.

4. Embracing Modern Tools

   • A few students found it refreshing that the course embraced AI tools instead of discouraging or banning them.
   • Some saw this as a forward-thinking approach that aligns with ongoing technological advancements.

5. Potential Learning Aid

   • Many hoped that Brace would be a useful supplementary tool that could help clarify concepts, overcome hurdles, and provide coding examples.
   • There's an appreciation for using an AI tool to manage a large class size more efficiently.

Concerns and Criticism

1. Accuracy and Reliability

   • A significant number of students worried about the potential for Brace to provide inaccurate or incomplete information.
   • Concerns were raised about the AI "hallucinating" or confidently giving wrong answers.

2. Privacy and Data Security

   • Some students were uncomfortable with the idea that their interactions with Brace could be monitored or accessed by the teaching staff.
   • There were concerns about how and where the data is stored and used.

3. Ethical and Ideological Concerns

   • A few students expressed discomfort with the broader use of generative AI, citing ethical issues such as data scraping and the potential for AI to replace human roles.
   • Concerns were also voiced about the environmental impact of running such energy-intensive AI tools.

4. Dependency and Educational Impact

   • There were worries about becoming overly reliant on Brace, which could hinder true learning and understanding.
   • Some students felt that AI could distract from the core learning objectives or replace valuable human interactions in educational settings.

5. Integration and Functionality

   • Stability and reliability were questioned, particularly whether Brace could handle the demands of a large class.
   • Concerns about Brace's functionality, especially in terms of integrating with course-specific tools and assignments, were raised.

Mixed and Neutral Reactions

1. Experimentation and Skepticism

   • Some students were open to trying Brace but remained skeptical about its long-term usefulness and impact.
   • There were mixed feelings about using AI tools for educational purposes, reflecting both curiosity and caution.

2. Course Staff Using Related AI Tools

   • While some students saw the efficiency benefits of staff using generative AI to process responses, others felt it could lead to a loss of nuance and detail in understanding student feedback.
   • A request for manual review or oversight to complement AI-generated summaries was suggested.

Conclusion

Overall, the introduction of Brace has sparked a wide range of reactions, from excitement and optimism to skepticism and concern. While many students see the potential benefits of a customized, course-specific AI tool, there are significant concerns about accuracy, privacy, and the long-term impact on learning and teaching dynamics.