GAITAR@Scale

…projects focus on reproducibility and generalization of scholarship across many teaching contexts for a few high-priority learning objectives and research questions. In contrast to GAITAR Institutes and Fellowships, cohorts of instructors collaborate with Eberly colleagues to study Eberly-generated research questions and teaching interventions at scale, such that data collection can directly facilitate higher-level pattern induction regarding student learning outcomes.

What is it?

To support data-informed teaching and learning at CMU and beyond, we gather cohorts of 10 or more CMU instructors of record across disciplines to conduct a controlled teaching as research (TAR) study that is designed and supported by the Eberly Center, but implemented by CMU instructors. 

First, Eberly colleagues identify high-priority teaching as research (TAR) questions that are relevant across disciplines and teaching contexts. An example research question might be: How does student use of GAI during low stakes practice exercises impact their ability to articulate an argument in writing and support it with evidence on a higher stakes assignment? Research questions targeted by GAITAR@Scale projects are selected based on gaps in the education literature and the needs of CMU instructors that surface through Eberly programs and services,  GAITAR Fellowship projects, GAITAR Institutes, or targeted needs assessments.

Next, Eberly colleagues design teaching interventions and TAR study designs to help answer the research question at scale, across numerous courses and teaching contexts. We identify a standardized educational intervention, study design, and data sources on student learning and other outcomes.

Then, we recruit CMU instructors of record from 10 or more courses across disciplines to collaboratively implement the Eberly-generated TAR study design. This approach facilitates testing TAR questions at scale and helps overcome the challenges of reproducibility and generalization in applied education research.

To further illustrate how TAR@Scale works, please see how the Eberly Center is implementing a similar project with 12 faculty regarding the impacts of specifications grading on teaching and learning.

What is happening?

Starting in May 2024, 1-3 times annually for three years, we will gather cohorts of 10 or more CMU instructors across disciplines to conduct a controlled TAR study, designed by the Eberly Center, but implemented by CMU instructors at scale. Initial potential GAITAR@Scale projects may include, but are not limited to, testing hypotheses about:

• how best to leverage online learning modules and classroom exercises to enhance students’ knowledge and skills regarding GAI, and
• the effects of GAI on student outcomes for learning objectives regarding written communication, coding, creation of art, and more.

How can CMU instructors of record participate?

Call for Applications: GAITAR @Scale (All Disciplines, Audience Awareness in Student Writing) F25

Applications due: April 21, 2025

Do you want to participate in a large-scale teaching-as-research project investigating the impacts of practice opportunities using generative artificial intelligence (genAI) on students’ ability to demonstrate audience awareness in their writing? 

The Eberly Center is recruiting instructors to help implement this study as part of the Generative Artificial Intelligence Teaching As Research (GAITAR) Initiative. 

Eligible instructors of record who volunteer and are selected by the Eberly Center will receive $3,000 upon the conclusion of F25 data collection and data scoring and get the opportunity to participate in a special interest group with colleagues. 

Eligibility: Applicants must… 

1. Be an instructor of record (faculty, staff, postdoc, graduate student) for a course on the CMU Pittsburgh campus that already has a writing assignment where students tailor their writing for a particular audience 
   1. Teach this course in F25
   2. Have previously taught a version of this course in which students completed the same writing assignment described above. 
2. Score student writing assignments from both semesters using a short research rubric. This scoring is above and beyond the grading that you do for the course AND will occur for both courses after grades are turned in for F25.
3. In F25, be willing to incorporate an Eberly Center-designed genAI intervention that explicitly teaches audience awareness, i.e. three, short, asynchronous practice activities for homework credit that would be deployed in one’s Canvas course 

The following is NOT required: 

1. Prior experience with generative AI or educational research is NOT required.
2. Generative AI is NOT required to be part of your existing course content.
3. Audience awareness does NOT need to be explicitly taught in your course (either currently or previously). 

The research question is: To what extent does the addition of an asynchronous generative AI intervention focused on audience awareness impact student outcomes (i.e., ability to demonstrate audience awareness, self-efficacy, etc.)?

Instructors from all disciplines are welcome to apply. Instructors WHO ARE SELECTED must commit to the following:

Summer 2025

• Attend a 120-minute meeting in May 2025 to learn about the research study’s design, Eberly Center-designed generative AI intervention, and implementation procedures. 

• Meet individually for 60 minutes with an Eberly Center consultant to strategize how to incorporate the aforementioned genAI intervention into your F25 course.

Fall 2025

• Teach your course in F25 implementing the audience awareness intervention, without changing the assignment or baseline instruction about audience awareness (including the timing of each). The Eberly Center-designed genAI intervention explicitly teaches audience awareness in three, short, asynchronous practice activities for homework credit that will be deployed in one’s Canvas course. 
• Administer a brief Eberly Center created pre and post student survey.
• Attend a 90-minute meeting to learn about and calibrate on the Eberly Center created audience awareness focused research rubric to score student work. 
• At the end of the F25 semester, participants will then score the writing assignment from both semesters (F25 and whichever semester you are using as a “control”) using an Eberly created research rubric. This is above and beyond the grading that you do for the course.
• Share de-identified student work, grades, and research rubric scores with the Eberly Center (all data collection and storage and research procedures will be covered under the Eberly Center’s IRB protocol). 
• Complete a brief 15-minute survey reflecting on your experience teaching the course.

Spring 2026

• Attend a 90-minute special interest group meeting to discuss teaching strategies surrounding writing and audience awareness, share preliminary findings from aggregate data, and discuss any implications of results for teaching and learning. 

Application and Submission

To apply, fill out this short Google Form.

If you have questions about this application, email eberly-assist@andrew.cmu.edu.