ENVS 110 Contemporary Environmental Issues: Soil Sustainability

Critical-Thinking, Engagement, Co-Learning

Reflection on Instructional Change:

This semester, I incorporated a GenAI activity into my ENVS 110 class to help students explore soil management strategies through AI-assisted brainstorming. Inspired by the ACUE technique on "Empowering Students Using AI" I developed an assignment where students designed initial soil management plans for two agricultural scenarios. They then used GenAI as a “learning partner” to generate additional recommendations, followed by a critical comparison between their plans and AI suggestions. This setup allowed students to reflect on AI’s value in enhancing problem-solving and understanding complex environmental issues.

The activity significantly improved student engagement, critical thinking, and my teaching approach. Student feedback highlighted AI's role in bringing new ideas and offering a starting point for their soil management plans. One student commented, "AI gave us new ways to approach our scenario, which made our solutions more comprehensive." However, students also noted limitations, such as GenAI's vague and broad suggestions and its reliance on data sources they felt might lack depth or accuracy. Many appreciated AI's brainstorming aid but emphasized the importance of verifying AI suggestions and using them to complement their research.

Through the FLC focusing on “Empowering Students using AI” and “Teaching with AI-Inclusive Learning Experiences”, I gained insights into designing AI-inclusive class discussion activities that balance innovative learning with analytical rigor. This helped me refine my approach to AI-integration by crafting prompts that encourage students' critical engagement rather than passive acceptance of AI responses.

During my "Observe and Analyze" session, I had an "aha moment" about instructional clarity. Observing student interactions with AI showed me that well-defined, specific prompts and instructions were crucial to a meaningful engagement. Colleagues' feedback on promoting critical thinking while using AI also reinforced the importance of clear, structured instructions when we practice AI-inclusive activities.

Evidence of Instructional Change


Introducing the AI-inclusive soil management activity and encouraging critical thinking.	Student reflection demonstrating their critical thinking through the comparison of their ideas with the AI-generated ideas.	Completion of ACUE’s module "Empowering Students to Use AI Responsibly".

Practice and Reflect Teaching and Learning with AI:

Working with AI this semester has been eye-opening. I’ve learned that while there are so many exciting opportunities to use AI in teaching (e.g., designing case scenarios that push students to think through real-world applications), there are also significant limitations that both instructors and students need to navigate. For example, one of the biggest challenges has been figuring out how to give clear, actionable instructions for AI-inclusive assignments that encourage students to think critically. I realized that simply using AI isn’t enough, it’s about guiding students to evaluate AI’s suggestions, reflect on their own ideas, and apply critical thinking throughout. This experience taught me that the real work lies in balancing AI’s potential to enrich learning with strategies to build students’ independent analytical skills.

For example, using ChatGPT in my class allowed students to brainstorm solutions in a soil management case study, which brought fresh ideas and enhanced their problem-solving. The AI provided ideas students hadn’t considered, sparking more engaged discussions and making abstract concepts more digestible. This tool helped both me and the students explore how AI can be a powerful, interactive learning partner while reminding us of the importance of thoughtful and guided use.

Course Syllabus

Course Syllabus and Schedule: ENVS 110 Soil Sustainability

Faculty Bio


	Dr. Si Gao is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Environmental Studies. She is a soil ecologist whose work focuses on understanding how land management practices influence soil health and functions. Courses Dr. Gao currently teaches at Sac State include ENVS 10 Introduction to Environmental Science, ENVS 149 Agroecology: Sustainable Agricultural Ecosystems, and ENVS 110 Contemporary Environmental Issues: Soil Sustainability. Her current research broadly includes sustainable agriculture and fire on soil organic matter persistence, nutrient dynamics, and climate mitigation potential.

Funding
	This work was supported by: US Department of Education Hispanic Serving Institution Project TECH4Equity US Department of Education Hispanic Serving Institution Project STEM4Equity P031C210012 *Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation or the US Department of Education.