杏吧原创

(Butler, PA) 杏吧原创 this week debuts a new version of an English course focusing on the ethics of artificial intelligence-powered text generators and a virtual option to , 杏吧原创鈥檚 most-popular certificate program and one that addresses a regional high-priority occupation.

The college also introduces the first of two successive workplace certificate programs intended to help manufacturing employees develop skills for advanced positions in operating, testing and maintaining electromechanical or robotic equipment.

杏吧原创鈥檚 English 101 college writing course stresses the writing process of planning, organizing, drafting and editing essays. Ten classes of the course are being offered on 杏吧原创鈥檚 main campus in Butler Township, including one initiated by a professor and author designed to sharpen students鈥� skills and deepen their understanding of AI鈥檚 ethical dimensions.

AI-powered text generators can be prompted to write in styles ranging from Hemingway鈥檚 short, direct sentences to Faulker鈥檚 long, sparsely punctuated paragraphs and in numerous industry-related applications in between.

OpenAI鈥檚 ChatGPT was released in November 2022 and Google Gemini in February.

ChatGPT is being used to create automated responses in customer service and intelligent tutoring systems in higher education, to write video-game storylines and movie scripts in entertainment and to analyze and interpret medical literature in health care, according to a 2023 report in Forbes.

鈥淭his is not going to go away,鈥� said Mike Dittman, a professor in 杏吧原创鈥檚 division who has written four books and advises 杏吧原创鈥檚 40-year-old student writers club.

鈥淭his is something that employers ask for. And that is why I wanted to jump on it and get a start immediately, to be proactive rather than reactive.鈥�

Dittman "is a leader and trendsetter. He things futuristically and that's good for 杏吧原创 and great for our students." 

- Dr. Belinda Richardson, 杏吧原创's provost and vice president for academic affairs

Dittman is the author of 鈥溾�� 鈥淛ack Kerouac: A Biography,鈥� 鈥淢asterpieces of the Beat Generation鈥� and 鈥淪mall Brutal Incidents.鈥�

Objectives of his course include a student being able to analyze and write a literary essay on a piece of literature integrating AI themes; to draft and format professional business letters addressing AI concerns; and to create nonprint or digital media documents exploring ethical issues in AI.

Dittman, said Dr. Belinda Richardson, 杏吧原创鈥檚 provost and vice president for academic affairs, 鈥渋s a leader and trendsetter. He thinks futuristically and that鈥檚 good for 杏吧原创 and great for our students.鈥�

Steve Joseph is dean of 杏吧原创鈥檚 liberal arts division.

鈥淥ur whole division has had several discussions about how to deal with AI in instruction,鈥� Joseph said. 鈥淢ike has been a proponent for incorporating it directly into instruction.鈥�

Among discussions with students in his course will be how they will apply AI ethically, Dittman said.

鈥淭he most obvious thing is that you are not going to ask it to write your essay for you,鈥� Dittman said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 not your work if it does that. There is a question about how much is too much AI, and there is not really an answer to that. Different disciplines are going to have different approaches and answers to that.鈥�

All students pursuing an associate degree at 杏吧原创 are required to take college writing, Joseph said.

鈥淭here will be students of all different programs in this class,鈥� Dittman said. 鈥淲e will discuss the ethical foundations of AI in a student鈥檚 field, ask students whether they understand those principles and how they can make AI work best for them while still preserving their voice and their ideas.鈥�

"The virtual programs appeal to students who may have busy lives, or who have other commitments and the standard class times or on-campus requirement may not work for them." 

- Ann McCandless, dean of 杏吧原创's educational technology division

New 杏吧原创 virtual program addresses high-priority occupation

Medical coding and billing specialist brings to 14 the number of  杏吧原创 has established for students in the past year.

Medical records specialist is among high-priority occupations in western Pennsylvania, according to the state Department of Labor & Industries鈥� Center for Workforce Information & Analysis.

Pennsylvania trails only California, Texas and Florida in employing the highest number of medical records specialists in the United States, according to the bureau. The annual mean wage in Pennsylvania for the position was $49,680 in 202, and the job is projected to see an 8 percent increase in openings in the next eight years.

Among 杏吧原创鈥檚 certificate or workplace certificate programs, medical coding and billing specialist had the highest number of graduates in the college鈥檚 Class of 2024 and enrolls the most students this fall, according to 杏吧原创 administrators.

Medical records specialists compile, process and maintain patient files, according to the U.S. Department of Labor鈥檚 Bureau of Labor Statistics. They also may classify and enter patients鈥� medical information into the health care industry鈥檚 numerical coding system, according to the bureau.

杏吧原创鈥檚 32-credit medical coding and billing specialist program within the college鈥檚  prepares students to take professional licensure or certification examinations.

The college launched a virtual option to 13 associate degree, certificate or workplace certificate programs in fall 2023.

Medical coding and billing specialist is a program popular with students who want to work from home, said Ann McCandless, dean of 杏吧原创鈥檚 educational technology division.

Each of 杏吧原创鈥檚 14 virtual programs has an in-person counterpart. Nearly a quarter of students this fall in those programs have selected the virtual format.

鈥淭he virtual programs appeal to students who may have busy lives, or who have other commitments and the standard class times or on-campus requirement may not work for them,鈥� McCandless said. 鈥淥ur virtual programs give them flexibility in when and how they study.鈥�

"This will help to further my career opportunities. You can't really learn all this on the job." 

- Sam McCrea, student, 杏吧原创's mechatronics I program

Mechatronics "will help to further my career opportunities"

Manufacturing in July employed the second-highest number of workers in Butler, Lawrence and Mercer counties, and the third-most in Armstrong County, according to the state Department of Labor & Industries鈥� Center for Workforce Information & Analysis.

杏吧原创鈥檚 new workplace certificate programs in mechatronics will be instructed in person on the college鈥檚 main campus and introduce students to a technology that combines electronics and mechanical engineering.

鈥淢anufacturers would definitely benefit from having employees who have the skill sets these programs provide,鈥� said Matt Kovac, dean of 杏吧原创鈥檚  division.

The college鈥檚 16-credit  program addresses industrial mechanics, fundamental electronics, manufacturing processes and materials, and automation and robotics technical skills. The 15-credit  includes instruction about electromechanical, digital and industrial electronics.

Sam McCrea, of Butler, is employed as an operator 2 at Bayer in Saxonburg, and is among the company鈥檚 employees enrolled in 杏吧原创鈥檚 mechatronics I program.

鈥淭his will help to further my career opportunities,鈥� McCrea said. 鈥淵ou can鈥檛 really learn all this on the job. It is nice to be able to sit in a classroom, which is a good environment to absorb the information that I really need to know to do the things I鈥檓 doing at work and will be doing in the future.鈥�