Kean University Assessment Summit 2024 ​Thursday, October 10th ​2:30pm ​NAAB 207

Critical Perspectives on Data Series:

Sociology Assessment, Critical Thinking, AI, Big Data, and Signature Assignments Workshop

Workshop Objectives:

Objective 1: To critically examine the data obtained during Sociology Assessment of Critical Thinking AY 2023-

24 in the Introduction to Sociology course.

Objective 2: Address and understand critical perspectives on Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Big Data in Higher

Education.

Objective 3: Collaboratively develop two signature assignments for Introduction to Sociology utilizing AI and

other resources available.

Presentation 1: Critical Thinking in Sociology: What homogeneous distributions tell us about data?

This presentation will focus on the data obtained from the critical thinking rubric in the Introduction to

Sociology Assessment on Critical Thinking AY 2023-24. In the Introduction to Sociology course, most students

scored 3 points average across all the criteria (on a 1-4 scale, 4=capstone), exposing for the first time a very

homogenous distribution with no outliers or extreme values. This pose challenges for data interpretation and

subsequent actions to fine tune assessment and pedagogical strategies. The aim of this presentation is to

highlight the importance of critical thinking and incorporate resources that address the relationship between

critical thinking and democracy. This includes facilitating the detection of misinformation, AI-generated

content (such as algorithms and algorithm audits), emotional manipulation and emphasizing the importance

of dialogical engagement through informed and critical perspectives. These elements are crucial in the

development of a democratic citizenry, a process that can be supported through sociological content.

Presenter: Julia Nevárez, Ph.D. Professor of Sociology, PI – NSF, Build and Broaden Urban Data Analytics

Presentation 2: What Big Data and AI Cannot Know/Do/Be

This presentation will explore and discuss the intrinsic limitations of machine knowledge/machine 'learning'

to offer a description of the shortcomings and dangers of Big Data - especially the ways that its massive

accumulation of information, along with its ostensible claims of 'objective,'

'factual' analysis, grant it a certain authority and hegemony over what's taken to be 'truthful" and 'real' in

human discourse. This presentation will also consider the similarities and differences between machine

'intelligence' and human intelligence, arguing that Al may mimic or replicate certain aspects of human

consciousness, but that ultimately (even in its most sophisticated manifestations/applications) Al is, at best, a

'learning' machine - without a body or emotional grounding/spirit or intuition or cultural history or encoded

biological history/DNA, each of which are essential qualities/distinctions/markers of human intelligence. The

presentation will draw upon the work of Korean-German philosopher, Byung-Chul Han - "Psycho-Politics"

(2017) and "Infocracy" (2022) -- to examine how the 'regime' of contemporary information capitalism uses

data to mold minds under the pretense of "freedom" and "choice," and how ever-prevalent cyber-

surveillance manipulates and controls individuals. Also drawing upon the philosophy of French Existentialist,

Maurice Merleau-Ponty’s essay "Interrogation and Intuition" the questions of how crucial human

embodiment in specific time and space is to the lived experience of knowing; that is, Merleau-Ponty offers a

compelling epistemological critique of the limits of logic and algorithms as an exclusive way of

knowing/comprehending our world will also be examined. The ramifications of Big Data and Al increasing

impact at all levels of the University - for students, professors, administrators, and the various communities

the University serves -- before full implementation, will be considered.

Presenter: Dean Casale, Ph.D., Associate Professor of American Literature and Literary Theory, English

Department.

Presentation 3: Signature Assignments: Critical Thinking and AI

We will be divided in two groups and entertain possible themes to design two signature assignments by

working collaborative on each group:

1) Develop a theme, situation, issue that deserves attention in our contemporary society, preferably

with a social justice focus.

2) Identify resources that could be used for the assignment (i.e. movies, videos, youtube content, visual

material, podcasts, websites, etc)

Analytics_Resources_Institutions and Centers, Silicon Harlem, Digital Atlas Project

4) Use CahtGPT to explore content on the issue identified by the group and/or examine Teacher Server

5) Develop a set of questions for the students to apply critical thinking using CahtGPT/or other

Facilitators:

Dr. Bridie Chapman – General Studies

Luetonya Reed - Sociology

Jennifer Conza - Sociology

Shaquanah Calhoun - Sociology