Inside Culver’s new AI class: curiosity, caution and critical thinking

 

As artificial intelligence rapidly reshapes classrooms and careers, a new course at Culver Academies is helping students understand not just how to use the technology, but to ask deeper questions about how it works, why it matters and when to trust it.

The course, Exploring Artificial Intelligence, taught by Computer Science and Engineering Chair Cali Miller, was created in response to student interest and a growing need for structured, critical instruction about AI tools.

“Because I had been hearing from students about AI concerns and curiosities. Information that they didn't feel like they were getting elsewhere,” Miller said.

The course is designed to build critical thinking skills and curiosity, Miller said.

“My first hope is that they'll be inquisitive,” she said. “While this is a class on AI, I am a teacher and my goal is always to teach my students skills that will be applicable no matter what they do in the future.”

She said students often think of computer science classes as coding but the field is much broader.

“There’s a whole lot more such as artificial intelligence, cybersecurity and web design,” she said.

The class introduces students to the history of artificial intelligence, tracing its roots back decades to a summer research program at Dartmouth College in 1956 known as the Dartmouth Conference, meaning it’s been around for 70 years.

“That's when the term artificial intelligence was actually coined,” Miller said. “Most students are surprised to learn it’s been around that long.”

“I had no clue it went back that far,” said Jase Krantz ’26.

Artificial intelligence is no longer a tool designed to enhance efficiency or automate routine tasks. It is reshaping how people use computers.

Students learn how AI models are trained, how data influences results and why bias remains a persistent concern.

“No matter how much you work on a model, there's still bias built in because of where the data is coming from,” Miller said. “You can be the most conscientious person and put this whole perfect data set together, but if you don't put in every scenario that this AI might ever have to handle, there's a chance what you get out is not good. You can't always plan for everything.”

Beyond technical concepts, the course emphasizes real-world issues such as misinformation, environmental impact and ethical use. Students examine how AI can produce false or misleading information and learn strategies for verifying sources through methods like lateral reading.

“If you need to trust it, then you should go through the process of checking it,” she said. “Otherwise, you should think about it as entertainment.”

The course also encourages students to experiment with AI tools while developing personal boundaries for their use.

“I tell them to incorporate it in everything. Try it,” Miller said. “Then you need to learn your boundaries with it. You need to know your places with it.”

 

 

Culver Academies earlier this past school year adopted its first comprehensive artificial intelligence policy to provide guidance to students, faculty and staff about when they can and can’t use it and how to use AI tools responsibly and ethically. Read more about the policy here.

The class this spring had 12 students.

“I’m very glad we’re at a school where I can give students personal attention,” Miller said.

Students say the class has already changed how students view AI. Krantz said she is considering studying computer science at Hamilton College so she thought it would be a valuable class to take.

The class also gives students opportunities to explore AI in practical ways, including comparing tools and using them for studying.

“For our past project, I use Perplexity and ChatGPT and we looked at the differences of how it gives you different answers if you give it the same prompt,” Krantz said.

Krantz said she used AI to give her practice skill quizzes in math.

Rather than encouraging shortcuts, the class helps students recognize both the strengths and limitations of AI systems.

“It's not really necessarily as good at solving equations,” Krantz said. “Sometimes it gives inaccurate answers. It's really good at helping you study, but obviously it's not as good as doing the work for you.”

That balance is a key goal of the course, preparing students to use AI thoughtfully rather than depend on it blindly.

“I care that they learned,” Miller said. “I don't really care how they got to that step.”

Miller wants students to understand that what they hear about AI is not the whole picture. She encourages them to listen to podcasts and delve deeper into areas they are interested in.

“I try to give them resources where they could do more digging if they're interested,” she said.

Looking ahead, Miller hopes students leave the class with a clearer understanding of both the technology and its broader implications.

“They better understand the tools they're using and the concerns that are tied to them,” she said.

She also stresses the importance of subject knowledge when using AI tools.

“If you want AI to be true, it's really helpful for you to have domain knowledge,” she said.

For Krantz, the class offers a valuable foundation as he considers future studies and careers. She recommends it for returning Culver students.

“I would say that they should definitely take the class,” he said. “I think I've learned a lot of super interesting things. That's just good knowledge to have.”

As AI continues to evolve, both teacher and students agree that learning how to engage with it responsibly will remain an essential skill.

“I need them to push themselves to ask questions, to try things out, to not be afraid to fail,” Miller said.

 

 

For more information about Culver Academies, click here.