Building AI Literacy through Visualizing Innovative Textile Projects
| Category | Developing AI literacy AI image generation |
| Instructors | Juan Hinestroza, Rebecca Q. Morgan’60 Professor of Fiber Science & Apparel Design. |
| Department of Fiber Science & Apparel Design | |
| College | College of Human Ecology |
| Course | FSAD4660: Textiles, Apparel, and Innovation |
| Discipline | Fiber Science |
| Course-level | Senior Undergraduates |
| Course size | 19 students |
| Implemented | Fall 2023 |
Learning Outcomes Targeted
AI Literacy and Proficiency
Problem-based Learning
Visual Communication
Refining AI-generated Images
Brief Summary
Students learned how to use generative AI tools to produce high-quality images that illustrate fiber-science innovations. Asking students to document their prompts and the resulting images helped them become more skilled at refining the images. A weekly blog, a midterm presentation, and a final poster project guided students in learning the tools and encouraged them to critically reflect on the tools’ capabilities as well as ethical considerations.
Context
In the field of fiber science, visuals help communicate what an innovative fiber science technology could look like and how it might perform; however, developing high-quality images can be challenging and time-consuming, especially in the context of a class project. For over a decade, students in this course have designed and communicated a fiber science innovative technology in the form of a poster project. While drawing skills were not one of the course learning outcomes, it was usually necessary to have at least one student on each project team with illustration skills. In the Fall of 2023, the instructor was interested in exploring with students the potential of using generative AI to develop images for fiber science projects and to identify both the potential and limitations of these technologies. The instructor also hoped that generative AI might enable all the students on the project teams to contribute to the imagery.
Implementation
Department funding was requested to use the generative AI platform Midjourney for all of the students in the course. The instructor and students then started to probe not only this tool but also other available free tools to create unique image scenarios. The students documented their prompting and images by completing a weekly blog set up in their Canvas course. The blog asked students to reflect on how minor changes in prompting caused major changes in the image output of the AI platforms.
For the revised final project, students recreated posters that were designed several years ago for the same course, but this time using generative AI tools. Coupled with the utilization of AI throughout the semester on smaller projects, the final project helped students become familiar with using the tools, while also critically analyzing the challenges.
“I realized that while AI has made remarkable progress, there are still areas where refinement is needed, such as image generation of complex objects like hands, feet, and textual content. Learning to harness the full potential of these tools required experimentation and adaptability, as well as understanding their limitations.” Ashley Liew, student
Through the weekly blog assignments, a midterm presentation, and a final project, students could explore AI and expand their knowledge of how it can be used. Students were encouraged to share their experiences in class and reflect on how these tools may influence their future careers.
“Having this kind of interaction with AI encouraged us to become more familiar with it, but also to challenge the information it provided”
Grace Honeyman, student
Challenges
The main challenge of this project was access to funding and a lack of university-wide licensing for many of the tools. This, coupled with many of the platforms still being in their beginning stages of development, resulted in poor results initially.
Reflection and Future Directions
“The ability to generate high-quality images via generative AI was indeed transformative, as it allowed anyone in the group to contribute to the imagery of the poster.” Juan Hinestroza, instructor
High-quality drawing is sometimes a challenge for students in creating posters and group projects but is not a targeted learning outcome for this course. With prompting, these tools remove that challenge and very high-quality images are possible. Also, the images generated served as inspiration for exploring other concepts of their projects. For future versions of the class, students will use a more systemic approach to prompting and to reaching a deeper understanding of how these tools work.
“Some of these platforms were not as polished, so some results were bad, but that allowed us to witness how these tools improved exponentially in short periods of time.” Juan Hinestroza, instructor
How to Implement This in Your Class
Exploring generative AI for image generation may be especially suited for subject areas where students use images for visual communication both for class projects and also for future careers. If your learning objectives are not necessarily focused on developing drawing skills, using AI image generation can stand as a significant help for students of varying levels. A good starting point is to identify what students need to visualize and then integrate AI image generation tasks and tool use. Some steps to consider are:
- Preparation
- Identify your assignment or project goal (e.g., create a poster presentation).
- Determine which image generation (AI) tools your students will use. Seek input from consultants at the Center for Teaching Innovation and review the terms of use to consider ethical, equity, and privacy impacts.
- Request any funding for AI tools you’d like students to use that incur a cost.
- Assignment
- State the overall goals of the assignment for students and outline the steps.
- Introduce students to the generative AI tool and ways to prompt image generation. Specify how students should interact with the tool for the assignment.
- Have students journal or blog on the challenges and benefits of the AI tool(s) as a way of developing their AI literacy. Advise students to share at least one challenge and one tip for others. If time permits, have students write up reviews as they critique the AI tool(s).
- Evaluation
- Facilitate presentations in class on each project where students share their work and provide each other with feedback.
- Have students assess each other based on a rubric and/or checklist.
- Ask students to reflect on this process, what they learned, and what skills they might use in the future.