The April 16th Physics & Astronomy Colloquium features Dr. Gerd Kortemeyer presenting "Project Ethel: using AI for teaching and learning at ETH Zurich". This lecture will be Zoom only:
https://msu.zoom.us/j/94951062663 password: 2002
Abstract:
Large language models have moved from generating amusing fiction to outperforming undergraduates on first-year physics and chemistry exams, forcing us to rethink how knowledge is produced, assessed, and learned. Drawing on a series of empirical studies - from GPT-3.5 barely passing an introductory physics course to GPT-5 solving a multi-page physics final more accurately and faster than most students - I explore what these systems can and cannot yet do, and how this reshapes our notions of expertise and academic integrity. I then introduce “Ethel,” ETH Zurich’s on-premises AI ecosystem that uses commercial LLMs through controlled workflows to support coursespecific chatbots, accessibility services, automated feedback, and large-scale grading assistance with psychometric, human-in-the-loop safeguards. Rather than treating AI as a better teacher or as a prohibition problem, the talk discusses how institutions can curate AI for students, design assessments that focus on reasoning processes instead of answers, and maintain transparency and student agency in high-stakes settings — without forgetting that our students are humans navigating yet another disruptive technological wave.
Bio:
Gerd Kortemeyer’s research focus is on the use of technology in physics education at the post-secondary level – specifically, on the development of effective tools for online learning, content management, assessment, learning analytics, and educational data mining.
Of particular interest is the data generated from online learning venues – not only in virtual university courses or MOOCs, but also in flipped, blended, or hybrid learning environments. Transaction records, particularly those including formative assessment events, offer unique insight into student learning and educational effectiveness.
Kortemeyer earned his M.Sc. in theoretical nuclear physics from the Universität Hannover, Germany, in 1993; and his Ph.D. in theoretical nuclear physics from MSU in 1997. He was a research assistant at MSU’s National Superconducting Cyclotron Laboratory (1993-1997), and served as director of MSU’s Laboratory for Instructional Technology in Education, Division of Science and Mathematics Education (1997-2011). Kortemeyer is currently associate professor of physics in MSU’s Department of Physics and Astronomy, and associate professor of physics education in Lyman Briggs College.
For the complete schedule of P & A Colloquium, go to: https://pa.msu.edu/news-events-seminars/colloquium-schedule.aspx
