Enhancing Mathematical Thinking and Quantitative Skill Development in Liberal Education with Generative AI
Project Overview
The proposed project aims to integrate the GenAI tool NotebookLM into SLHS 1302: Rate Your World: Quantifying Judgments of Human Behavior, which fulfills the University’s Liberal Education requirement for Mathematical Thinking and emphasizes applying quantitative tools to real-world problems. A key component of the course is a final term project in which students develop an original research question, analyze public datasets (e.g., the World Happiness Report) using R, create visualizations, and submit a fully documented, reproducible script. This course presents great challenges for non-STEM students due to limited coding experience, leading to frustration in assignments and the term project, which together account for 55% of the grade. To reduce these barriers, this project integrates NotebookLM as a personalized, context-aware assistant grounded in course materials, including the textbook, R lab guides, datasets, and assignments. NotebookLM aligns with the program’s GenAI Literacy Goals by enhancing learning through just-in-time support for interpreting prompts, debugging R code, and connecting statistical theory to practice; maximizing student success by serving as a 24/7 tutor; and promoting ethical, effective GenAI use through clear guidelines that position AI as a thought partner rather than an answer generator.