Teaching Students To Use AI Wisely

For students in higher education, the way they submit work is changing. They can no longer just paste answers generated by a chatbot and hope for the best. Instead, they must explain how they used the tool and show that they understand the material. This shift aims to make learning more honest and practical in a world where digital help is everywhere.

Prof. Claudia V. Goldman, an associate professor in the Data Science Department at the Hebrew University Business School in Jerusalem, is at the center of this change. She has held this position since July 2024. Her teaching philosophy is straightforward: use artificial intelligence to solve real problems, but keep a human hand on the wheel. She believes that technology should serve students, not replace their thinking.

Goldman’s path to this role was long and global. Born in Argentina, she moved to Israel in January 1984 with her family. She was sixteen at the time. After finishing high school in Jerusalem and serving in the army, she earned three degrees from the Hebrew University. These include a BSc in computer science, mathematics, and electronics in 1991, an MSc in computer science in 1993, and a PhD in 1999. Her doctoral supervisor was Prof. Jeff Rosenschein, a well-known scholar in the field.

Before joining the university faculty, Goldman spent years in industry and research. She held positions at Bar-Ilan University, the University of Massachusetts Amherst, and the University of Haifa between 1999 and 2005. She then moved to the private sector, leading a team at Samsung Telecom Research in Herzliya for three years. After that, she spent 15 years as a research scientist at General Motors in Herzliya. Her career has produced 24 patents and more than 50 academic papers.

In her classroom, Goldman sets clear rules. She tells students exactly when and why they can use AI tools. They must credit the technology and describe their process. If an answer is fully generated by AI, it is not accepted. She also tells students that she can detect AI in their writing. This encourages them to use the tools for brainstorming while staying critical. They check for bias and verify that cited sources actually exist.

To assess understanding, she relies on in-person activities. This includes classwork, presentations, and discussions where students organize activities for their peers. The class also talks about human responsibility and values. They discuss what kind of professionals and people they want to be. This approach was partly inspired by Bill Gates’s idea of a 'Human Reserved' concept, which suggests some jobs should stay human. Goldman notes that it is not a simple binary choice. Instead, it is about understanding the benefits of AI in different roles and strengthening critical skills.

The Business School offers several courses in this area, such as AI for Social Good and Responsible AI. There is also a course called When AI Meets Humans and Society. The Hebrew University runs a Free Listener Program that allows senior citizens to audit courses. The fall semester is now beginning, bringing these new dynamics to the classroom.

Goldman’s work at General Motors involved introducing learning agents into the vehicle user experience. The goal was to help drivers stay focused on the road and better understand autonomous driving functions. This industry experience informs her teaching, bridging the gap between theoretical computer science and practical application in everyday life.