As experts on teaching and learning who teach a wildly popular gen ed course, psychology instructors have a unique opportunity to address AI’s pitfalls and promises with our students. But like many of us, I’ve been approaching AI with a mixture of experimentation and skepticism. In this talk, we will explore ways to harness students’ curiosity by relating AI to Intro Psych course topics. I will also share some strategies for using it to enhance both teaching and learning with the twin goals of allowing us to use our time more effectively, while helping students to become more thoughtful and ethical users. [Full disclosure: I used ChatGPT to draft a few versions of this abstract. I then edited heavily to maintain my own voice and avoid ChatGPT's flowery style, while also keeping a few turns of phrase that were better than what I would have thought of on my own. I also asked ChatGPT to draft several catchy titles for this talk, and wound up combining two of them.]

Rachelle Tannenbaum is a psychology professor at Anne Arundel Community College in Arnold, MD. She primarily teaches Introduction to Psychology, which is her favorite course by far; she also teaches Developmental Psychology. She has been actively involved in training and review processes related to online learning and course design, digital accessibility, and efforts to reshape the curriculum to emphasize diversity, accessibility, equity, and inclusion. After 26 years at AACC, she's still in love with the fact that she gets paid to spend her time learning new things. Her fantastic experiences with PsychOne have inspired her to start a similar conference (MAESTRO Psych) in the mid-Atlantic.

Stories are central to how humans make sense of their lives—and to how students connect with psychology. In this talk, Dr. Adler introduces the field of research on narrative identity, which explores how the stories we tell about ourselves shape who we are and how we flourish. Dr. Adler will share foundational theory, major empirical findings, and real-world applications that demonstrate how the “science and art of stories” can enhance understanding of identity, community, and well-being.

Jonathan Adler is Professor of Psychology at Olin College of Engineering and Senior Lecturer at Harvard Medical School.  His mixed-methods research focuses on the ways in which our personal stories constitute our identity and support our well-being.  His work has been covered by The New York Times, National Public Radio, The Wall Street Journal, The Boston Globe, The Atlantic, Scientific American, Hidden Brain, The Today Show, and many more.  Dr. Adler is the Editor of Personality and Social Psychology Review, the highest-impact journal in those subfields.  Dr. Adler is also very engaged in applied work.  He serves as Co-Director of The Story Lab at Olin College, producing annual story slams and facilitating workshops, and as Chief Academic Office of Health Story Collaborative, a non-profit organization aimed at amplifying the role of stories in healthcare.  In addition, Dr. Adler is a theater director and playwright.  His play Reverse Transcription (co-written with Jim Petosa) premiered Off-Broadway in July 2022 at The Atlantic Theater Company’s Stage 2, produced by PTP/NYC.  Dr. Adler lives outside Boston with his husband, their two kids, and a brand-new rescue puppy.

Three instructors demonstrate their best strategies for a meaningful last day of class.