Artificial Intelligence Art in the History of Science Classroom

Abstract submitted for the H-Net 2024 Teaching Conference Artificial Intelligence Art in the History of Science Classroom Jörg Matthias Determann Virginia Commonwealth University [email protected] Historians of science typically prize the authenticity of images very highly. Conversely, they try to keep fake photographs out of the historical record, including their own textbooks, as much as possible. On the face of it, generative artificial intelligence thus does not seem to have much to offer. Why would a history teacher prefer a computer-generated picture over an original primary source? However, courses in the history of science should explore not just facts and truths, but also biases. Years before introducing AI image generators like Midjourney and DALL-E to my classroom, I already gave my students a task many other educators had given before me: “Draw a scientist!” The point was never to create an image of Isaac Newton or Albert Einstein that was as close to the real-life person as possible. Instead, I wanted to show how frequently media prejudices have led my students (who are mostly young women of color) to imagine scientists as predominantly older white men. Artificial intelligence is then useful not for its capacity to create “realistic” images, but rather for its ability to reveal the stereotypes and biases hidden in the algorithms and in wider society. Artificial Intelligence Art in the History of Science Classroom Jörg Matthias Determann Virginia Commonwealth University School of the Arts in Qatar H-Net 2024 Teaching Conference Researching the history and culture of science Experiments with artificial intelligence art Science fiction, futurism and AI art Peter Gould, “Muslim Futures,” Instagram, accessed June 28, 2024, https://www.instagram.com/muslim.futures/ Teaching at an American art school in Doha Virginia Commonwealth University School of the Arts in Qatar (VCUarts Qatar) Mostly female Muslim students VCUarts Qatar class of 2027 Scientists in student art Critiquing representations of scientists Creating more inclusive images of science Decolonizing science and its history Generating images of science with AI Examining the details Equal access Comparisons Potential futures Peter Gould, “Crew,” Instagram, accessed June 30, 2024, https://www.instagram.com/p/Ct_oOFoSqgM/ Peter Gould, “Cadet Noora,” Instagram, accessed June 30, 2024, https://www.instagram.com/p/Ct_gn2rSLrq/ Special thanks Heather Brothers Edward L. Boone Jacqulyn Williams Nicole Abiad Jesse Payne Shoaib Ahmed Malik History, Social Science, and the Humanities: Working in Classrooms and Communities August 19 - August 22 Welcome to the third annual H-Net Teaching Conference! This remote Zoom conference is sponsored by H-Teach. This year’s theme, “History, Social Science, and the Humanities: Working in Classrooms and Communities,” places emphasis on community building of all kinds, from cultivating educational communities within public history venues to preserving inclusive classrooms in K-16 pedagogy. Presenters from a wide array of disciplines will share their strategies and expertise on topics like artificial intelligence, building innovative digital projects, the relationship between the academy and local communities, and more. The conference will also include several roundtable discussions, featuring organizations like WikiEducation, the Organization of American Historians (OAH), and LEADR Digital Lab at Michigan State University. Our keynote speaker, Dr. Steven Mintz, will give a talk titled “History from the Bottom Up: How the History of Childhood is Radically Reshaping Our Understanding of Agency, Identity Construction, Psychological Disorders, Colonialism, State Formation, and the Dynamics of Cultural Change.” Mintz is a former H-Net president and currently a professor at the University of Texas at Austin. The conference is free and open to all. *Please note that all times are in U.S. Eastern Daylight Time (EDT). H-Net: Humanities & Social Sciences Online is dedicated to developing the enormous educational potential of the Internet and the World Wide Web. Our edited networks publish peer reviewed essays, multimedia materials, and discussions for colleagues and the interested public. An international consortium of scholars and teachers, H-Net creates and coordinates networks with the common objective of advancing teaching and research in the arts, humanities, and social sciences. H-Net is committed to pioneering the use of new content management and communication technology to facilitate the free exchange of academic ideas and scholarly resources. To learn more about H-Net, click here. If you would like to get involved at H-Net, please click here. Monday, August 19 Welcome 6:00 - 7:15 p.m. • H-Net Presidents • Lorna Zukas, H-Net Past President, National University • Andrew Kettler, H-Net President Elect, University of South Carolina • Evan Rothera, H-Net President, University of Arkansas, Fort Smith • State of H-Net • Jesse Draper, H-Net Executive Director, Michigan State University • H-Teach Welcome • Brad Cartwright, H-Teach Editor, University of Texas at El Paso • Michele Rotunda, H-Teach Editor, UCNJ Union College of Union County, New Jersey • Conference Proceedings • Emily Elliott, H-Net Associate Director of Research and Publications, Michigan State University • Keynote Speaker 7:15 - 7:45 p.m. • Dr. Steven Mintz, H-Net Former President, University of Texas at Austin Tuesday, August 20 3:00 - 4:00 p.m. Roundtable: History Beyond the Essay: Community-Based Public History and Pedagogy Chair: Shae Smith Cox, Texas A&M University Panelists: • Katherine Lennard, Western Kentucky University • Nicole Martin, Consulting Historian, National Park Service • Alexandra E. Stern, The City College of New York • 4:05 - 5:35 p.m. • From the Classroom and Archives to the Community: Experiential Research for History Students • Erica Hayden, Trevecca Nazarene University Valiant Acts of Preservation: Community Storytelling in the Age of Erasure • Jesse Esparza, Texas Southern University Community Engagement in the Humanities for Social Justice • Danielle Battisti, Telling All the Truth Project, University of Nebraska at Omaha • Martina Saltamacchia, University of Nebraska at Omaha • Jeremy Bouman, Founder and CEO of RISE Participatory Workshopping as Futures-Oriented Teaching • Ming Wei Ang, Nanyang Technological University • • • Emily Harnach, University of Texas at El Paso Sergio Arribas Jimenez, University of Texas at El Paso Ricardo Quezada, University of Texas at El Paso Alana Nevarez, University of Texas at El Paso Diana López, University of Texas at El Paso 6:45 - 7:45 p.m. Choosing to Learn: Co-creation as a Way of Building Inclusive Classrooms • Catriona Ellis, University of Strathclyde Reflecting on Campus History: Toward a More Inclusive, Accurate, and Empowering Vision • Andrea Walton, Indiana University Examining a Government Mandate: Canada’s International Student Cap as a Case Study in Multifaceted Disruption • Firdavs Ummataliev, University of Minnesota Wednesday, August 21 • • • • • • Nancy Beck Young, University of Houston Peggy Lindner, University of Houston Liz Rodwell, University of Houston Judy Tzu-Chun Wu, University of California, Irvine Emily Westkaemper, James Madison University Jamie Wagman, Saint Mary’s College 4:05 - 5:05 p.m. Roundtable: The Perils and Promise of Teaching with Digital Tools Chair: Gillian Macdonald, Interim Director of LEADR, Michigan State University Panelists: • Aubree Marshall, Michigan State University • Daniel Fandino, Michigan State University • Ashley Cerku, Michigan State University 5:10 - 6:10 p.m. 3:00 - 4:00 p.m. 5:40 - 6:40 p.m. Roundtable: Grad School as Borderland Historians Roundtable: Sharing Stories from 1977: Using Digital Humanities to Excite Students Chair: Brad Cartwright, University of Texas at El Paso Chair: Leandra Zarnow, University of Houston Panelists: • Michael Stallings, University of Texas at El Paso Panelists: • Sandra Davidson, Sharing Stories Project Manager, University of Houston Roundtable: How Students are Engaging in Critical Public and Digital Humanities Efforts on Wikipedia Chair: Helaine Blumenthal, Wiki Education Foundation Panelists: • Kathryn Jasper, Illinois State University • Eben Levey, Alfred University • Rebecca Shrum, Indiana University Wednesday, August 21 (cont.) 6:15 - 7:45 p.m. AI and Early America: Pedagogical Practices and the Use of Large Language Models to Teach a Vast Early America • Jeff Washburn, University of Texas Permian Basin Primary Source Literacy Collaborations: Critically Engaging Students in Source Evaluation • Ariana Varela, Information Literacy Instruction Librarian, University of Southern California • Magaly Salas, Student Success Librarian, University of San Francisco Artificial Intelligence Art in the History of Science Classroom • Jörg Matthias Determann, Virginia Commonwealth University Misreading Stephenson: ChatGPT, the Metaverse, and Bogus Information in Snow Crash and Anathem • Jonathan Lewis, Troy University Thursday: OAH Night, August 22 3:00 - 4:30 p.m. It Takes a Collaboration: Teaching In and Out of the Classroom with Campus and Community Partners Chair: Kevin B. Sheets, State University of New York at Cortland Panelists: • Public History in Action: Freedom on the Move in New Orleans • Kate Shuster, Director of The Hard History Project • Lessons Learned: Community Collaboration with History and Education Students • Phillip Payne, St. Bonaventure University • The Local and the National: A College & Community Engagement Project • Chris Dalton, St. Bonaventure University • Supporting Collaborative Programs and Grant Development • Jinlei Augst, National Endowment for the Humanities 4:35 - 5:35 p.m. Introducing the Digital History and Social Science Projects Hub: A Free Resource for Secondary and Higher Education • Craig Perrier, Northern Virginia Community College What Happens When Teaching Mandates Go Your Way: Challenges of Reimagining History Teaching and Curricula in Blue States • Richard Hughes, Illinois State University • Sarah Drake Brown, Lewis University Panelists: • Jacqueline Antonovich, Muhlenberg College • Jessamyn Neuhaus, Syracuse University • Reba Wissner, Columbus State University 6:45 - 7:45 p.m. Making Our History in the Community and the Classroom: Artists Render Lincoln’s Legacies • Graham Peck, University of Illinois Springfield • Brytton Bjorngaard, University of Illinois Springfield Civically Engaging: Writing the Wrongs in History (and English) • Jessica DeJohn Bergen, McNeese State University • Jennifer Wilhite, Clovis Community College and South Plains Community College Cultivating a Just World: How Social Sciences & Humanities Foster Change at Universities • Kat Ringenbach, University of Massachusetts Global • Jeffrey Lee, University of Massachusetts Global 7:50 - 8:50 p.m. Negro Leagues: Behind the Curve • Geleah Wolf, Director of Education, Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City 5:40 - 6:40 p.m. Workshop: Creating Effective Un-Essay Assignments Chair: Cate Denial, Knox College Careers for History Majors: Preparing Students for Today’s Job Market • Tovah Bender, Florida International University • Julio Capó, Florida International University Expanding Nursing Education through Digital Technology and Clinical Simulation to Enhance Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion and Address Adversity in Communities • Meghan Pontz, Commonwealth University Shyness in Foreign Language Classes: Eliminating Students’ Psychological Anxiety in the Classroom and Increasing Their Activeness in Class Communication • Dadajon Urishev, Mississippi State University Using NGO Websites as Digital Resources in Online Course Design • Rachel VanWieren, National University Closing Remarks: 9:00 - 9:20 p.m. • Heather Brothers, H-Net Digital Pedagogy Coordinator, Michigan State University • Leigh Ann Wilson, H-Net Vice President of Teaching and Learning, University of Massachusetts Global A Special Thanks To: Jaden Beard Dennis Boone Heather Brothers Brad Cartwright Robert Cassanello Danny Dam Jesse Draper Emily Elliott Christine Peffer Kat Ringenbach Michele Rotunda Evan Rothera CiTeara Wade Leigh Ann Wilson Lorna Zukas