Innovating Learning with Canv-AI: A GenAI Solution for Canvas LMS

17

October

2024

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In today’s educational landscape, generative AI (GenAI) is reshaping how students and instructors interact with learning platforms. A promising example is Canv-AI, an AI-powered tool designed to integrate into the widely used Canvas Learning Management System (LMS). This tool aims to transform both student learning and faculty workload by leveraging advanced AI features to provide personalized, real-time support.

The integration of Canv-AI focuses on two primary groups: students and professors. For students, the key feature is a chatbot that can answer course-specific questions, provide personalized feedback, and generate practice quizzes or mock exams. These features are designed to enhance active learning, where students actively engage with course material, improving their understanding and retention. Instead of navigating dense course content alone, students have instant access to interactive support tailored to their learning needs.

Professors benefit from Canv-AI through a dashboard that tracks student performance and identifies areas where students struggle the most. This insight allows instructors to adjust their teaching strategies in real-time, offering targeted support without waiting for students to seek help. Additionally, the chatbot can help reduce the faculty workload by answering common questions about lecture notes or deadlines, allowing professors to focus more on core teaching tasks.

From a business perspective, Canv-AI aligns with Canvas’s existing subscription-based revenue model. It is offered as an add-on package, giving universities access to AI-driven tools for improving educational outcomes. The pricing strategy is competitive, with a projected $2,000 annual fee for universities already using Canvas. The integration also brings the potential for a significant return on investment, with an estimated 29.7% ROI after the first year. By attracting 15% of Canvas’s current university customers, Canv-AI is expected to generate over $700,000 in profit during its first year.

The technological backbone of Canv-AI relies on large language models (LLMs) and retrieval-augmented generation (RAG). These technologies allow the system to understand and respond to complex queries based on course materials, ensuring students receive relevant and accurate information. The system is designed to be scalable, using Amazon Web Services (AWS) to handle real-time AI interactions efficiently.

However, the integration of GenAI into educational systems does come with challenges. One concern is data security, especially the protection of student information. To address this, Canv-AI proposes the use of Role-Based Access Control (RBAC), ensuring that sensitive data is only accessible to authorized users. Another challenge is AI accuracy. To avoid misinformation, Canv-AI offers options for professors to review and customize the chatbot’s responses, ensuring alignment with course content.

In conclusion, Canv-AI offers a transformative solution for Canvas LMS by enhancing the learning experience for students and reducing the workload for professors. By integrating GenAI, Canvas can stay competitive in the educational technology market, delivering personalized, data-driven learning solutions. With the right safeguards in place, Canv-AI represents a promising step forward for digital education.

Authors: Team 50

John Albin Bergström (563470jb)

Oryna Malchenko (592143om)

Yasin Elkattan (593972yk)

Daniel Fejes (605931fd)

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My Experience with GenAI: Improving Efficiency or Becoming Stupid?

9

October

2024

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I work as a part-time data analyst at a software company, where I analyze sales data. My 9-5 mainly consists of writing code, specifically using SQL in Google Bigquery and creating dashboards in PowerBI. I love using GenAI to help me write queries faster which would have taken me a long time to compose by myself. Additionally, I am a student and use GenAI to help me better understand course content or inspire me on what to write about during assignments. Generally, I would say that GenAI benefits my life as I can get more done in less time, however, from time to time I start to question whether I am not just becoming lazy.

I use GenAI on a daily (almost hourly) basis and rely on it in many ways. I mainly use ChatGPT 3.5, when ChatGPT 4o’s free limit has been reached, and Gemini, when ChatGPT is down. Based on my own experience, I can say that being good at ‘AI prompting’ is a real skill in the field of data analytics as it can drastically improve the efficiency with which you write queries, and therefore, the speed with which you finish tasks. My manager recently even held a knowledge-sharing meeting in which he discussed the best practices to use for data analysts when interacting with ChatGPT. Using GenAI has become a real thing in the field of data analytics, and is not something to be ashamed of.

However, I cannot help but sometimes be slightly embarrassed when I read back the questions I’ve asked ChatGPT. It seems that with any task that requires a little bit of effort or critical thinking, I automatically open the ChatGPT tab in my browser to help me come up with the right approach to solve the task at hand. I don’t even try to solve things by myself anymore, which makes me question: is this something to be desired?

The image presents an interaction with ChatGPT regarding the risk of using GenAI on human intelligence.
The image presents an interaction with ChatGPT regarding the risk of using GenAI on human intelligence.

As explained by ChatGPT in the image, using GenAI indeed frees up more brain space for things that are important. If I can use less time to get more work done, this improves my work efficiency and also gives me more time for things that I find more valuable, such as spending time with family or friends. Right now, it is still too soon to be able to determine the impact that using GenAI will have on our own (human) intelligence. In the meantime, we should just continue using it for repetitive tasks that would normally take much of our valuable time and hope that it is not ChatGPT’s plan to stupidify humanity before it can take over the world.

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Data Privacy and GenAI

16

September

2024

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When ChatGPT launched at the end of 2022, most data protection professionals had never heard of generative AI and were then certainly not aware of the potential dangers it could bring to data privacy (CEDPO AI Working Group, 2023). Now that AI platforms grow more sophisticated, so do the risks to our privacy, and therefore, it is important to discuss these risks and how to disarm them as effectively as possible.

GenAI systems are built on vast datasets, often including sensitive personal and organizational data. When users interact with these platforms, they unknowingly share information that could be stored, analyzed, and even potentially exposed to malicious actors (Torm, 2023). The AI itself could potentially reveal confidential information learned from previous interactions, leading to privacy breaches. This could have some major implications for the affected individuals or organizations if sensitive information is being shared without proper anonymization or consent.

Continuing on the topic of consent: Giving consent for generative AI platforms to use your data can be tricky, as most platforms provide vague and complex terms and conditions that are difficult for most users to fully understand. These agreements often include legal jargon and technological terminology, making it hard to know exactly what data is being collected, how it’s being used, or who it’s being shared with. This lack of transparency puts users at a disadvantage, as they may unknowingly grant permission for their personal information to be stored, analyzed, or even shared without fully understanding the risks involved.

To reduce the potential dangers of GenAI platforms, several key measures must be implemented. First, transparency should be prioritized by simplifying terms and conditions, making it easier for users to understand what data is being collected and how it is being be used. Clear consent mechanisms should be enforced, requiring explicit user approval for the collection and use of personal information. Additionally, data anonymization must be a standard practice to prevent sensitive information from being traced back to individuals. Furthermore, companies should limit the amount of data they collect and retain only what is necessary for the platform’s operation. Regular audits and compliance with privacy regulations like GDPR or HIPAA are also crucial to ensure that data handling practices align with legal standards (Torm, 2023). Lastly, users should be educated on best practices for protecting their data when using GenAI, starting with being cautious about what they share on AI platforms.

In conclusion, while generative AI offers transformative potential, it also presents significant risks to data privacy. By implementing transparent consent practices, anonymizing sensitive data, and adhering to strict privacy regulations, we can minimize these dangers and ensure a safer, more responsible use of AI technologies. Both organizations and users must work together to strike a balance between innovation and security, creating a future where the benefits of GenAI are harnessed without compromising personal or organizational privacy.

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