Presentation: "Guided AI Use/Misuse" (Fall 2025)

Example of a course (Astronomy 210) with different levels of guided use of generative artificial intelligence, shared for "Teaching in the Age of AI: A Discussion on Clarity and Academic Honesty" flex activity at Cuesta College (facilitated by Alex Kahane, Steve Leone, and Isaac Valdez, August 7, 2025).

(Supplemental slides showing all levels of responsible generative AI use in this course.)

(Takeback Policy: "Completing tasks or mastering skills can be difficult on your own. That's okay. Ask your instructor for help. Ask your instructor for an extension. But if things happen, that's okay. Ask your instructor to take back work that is not completely your own and/or contains inappropriate use of AI. No questions asked. No action taken. Then you can revise/resubmit your work as needed.")

(An experimental podcast using generative AI (Google Lab's NotebookLM) to talk about the course policy for responsible use of generative AI.)

Online reading assignment: double-slit interference

Physics 205B, spring semester 2020
Cuesta College, San Luis Obispo, CA

Students have a bi-weekly online reading assignment (hosted by SurveyMonkey.com), where they answer questions based on reading their textbook, material covered in previous lectures, opinion questions, and/or asking (anonymous) questions or making (anonymous) comments. Full credit is given for completing the online reading assignment before next week's lecture, regardless if whether their answers are correct/incorrect. Selected results/questions/comments are addressed by the instructor at the start of the following lecture.

The following questions were asked on reading textbook chapters and previewing presentations on double-slit interference.


Selected/edited responses are given below.

Describe what you understand from the assigned textbook reading or presentation preview. Your description (2-3 sentences) should specifically demonstrate your level of understanding.

"For in-phase sources, the difference in path length will be a whole number of wavelengths for constructive interference. For destructive interference the path difference will be (a whole number plus) a half of a wavelength."

"The presentation did a good job at conveying the path differences for the double slits. It was defined clearly."

"I understand from this section that the maxima and minima of a double-slit interference means whether or not it is constructive or destructive. this is determined by various variables of a double-slit interference like the wavelength, distance between slits, etc."

"Young's double-slit experiment showed how two monochromatic light sources could interfere constructively and destructively. This was shown by the alternating dark and light fringes on the screen he used."

"The difference in lengths that parallel waves travel is equal to their separation distance d between multiplied by sinθ. The inner wave also travels farther."

"In double-slit interference θ is measured from the horizontal and ranges from –90° to +90° with 0° deg being horizontal. The equation dsinθ is used to find the difference in path lengths traveled by two sets of waves. Whether the resulting wave is constructive or deconstructive depends on the whether there is a whole or and a half difference in path lengths."

Describe what you found confusing from the assigned textbook reading or presentation preview. Your description (2-3 sentences) should specifically identify the concept(s) that you do not understand.

"Maxima and minima were confusing. double-slit interference was more difficult to understand."

"Definitely the picking the correct information to match the equation. All these symbols are confusing."

"The 'Train of Pain' is still a little confusing, just need to a little more with it."

"I understand the equations and the idea of the path lengths pretty well, but I might need some more practice using and applying them."

"I would benefit from homework examples that have to do with calculating the maxima and minima values to acquire a greater understanding of their relationship to the central bright spot."

"I pretty much understood everything, especially the basics. I might need some polishing of some concepts but that's it."

"Nothing at this time."

Explain the difference between "maxima" and "minima" in double-slit interference.

"The resulting constructive interference is the maxima, and the resulting destructive interference is the minima."

"A maxima is where it is brightest and a minima is where it is least bright."

"Maxima refers to the bright fringes while minima refers to the dark fringes."

Match the double-slit parameter with its symbol. (Only correct responses shown.)

Distance between slits: d [74%]
Any positive or negative whole number: m [74%]
Distance from slits to a projection screen: L [49%]
Wavelength of light passing through both slits: λ [83%]
Difference in paths for light passing through both slits: d·sinθ [51%]
Position along screen, as measured from the centerline: y [46%]

Identify the characteristics of the sources, path difference, and interference type. (Only correct responses shown.)

Sources: in phase [97%]
Path difference: integer number of wavelengths [100%]
Interference: constructive [97%]

Identify the characteristics of the sources, path difference, and interference type. (Only correct responses shown.)

Sources: in phase [89%]
Path difference: odd number of half wavelengths [94%]
Interference: destructive [94%]

Identify the characteristics of the sources, path difference, and interference type. (Only correct responses shown.)

Sources: in phase [97%]
Path difference: integer number of wavelengths [77%]
Interference: constructive [74%]

Ask the instructor an anonymous question, or make a comment. Selected questions/comments may be discussed in class.

"Would like to review these last two diagrams in or after class."

"Are you going to go over this in class?" (Yes.)

"Will we be doing the double-slit experiment in lab?" (Yes.)

"Since the light that passes through the double slits is from a source that is side-by-side and in-phase with the same wavelength, won't the light passing through the two slits always be in phase?" (Well, yes, unless one wave has to travel a further distance than the other wave in order for them to meet at a receiver.)

"I'm not sure how to use the formula ∆l = dsinθ. In which case will the path difference be a whole wavelength or half a wavelength?" (Well, just calculate ∆l for a given θ direction, then see if it is equal to m·λ or (m + 1/2)·λ.)

"I think that in regards to Young's double-slit experiment, when two light paths interfere constructively they create a bright fringe, and when they interfere destructively they produce a dark fringe... is that correct?" (Yes.)

"I was a little confused whether the double-slit experiment only works when the light sources are side-by-side. If you have two separate sources of light that are constructive but that differ in distance does the double-slit experiment still work?" (Yes, but the sources must have exactly the same wavelength, and be in phase with each other. For visible light the most practical way to do this is to have a laser illuminate two side-by-side slits simultaneously.)

"I would benefit from some practice problems."

"Going to try my hardest to make it tomorrow."

Online reading assignment: images produced by lenses, thin lens equations, cameras and eyes

Physics 205B, spring semester 2020
Cuesta College, San Luis Obispo, CA

Students have a bi-weekly online reading assignment (hosted by SurveyMonkey.com), where they answer questions based on reading their textbook, material covered in previous lectures, opinion questions, and/or asking (anonymous) questions or making (anonymous) comments. Full credit is given for completing the online reading assignment before next week's lecture, regardless if whether their answers are correct/incorrect. Selected results/questions/comments are addressed by the instructor at the start of the following lecture.

The following questions were asked on reading textbook chapters and previewing presentations on examples of images produced by lenses, thin lens equations and camera and eyes.


Selected/edited responses are given below.

Describe what you understand from the assigned textbook reading or presentation preview. Your description (2-3 sentences) should specifically demonstrate your level of understanding.

"Converging lenses cause light rays to converge toward a focal point, while diverging lenses cause light to diverge (spread out). Converging lenses can produce either real or virtual images, while diverging lenses can only produce virtual images. The thin lens and magnification equations help us determine the location, size, and nature of the image a lens produces."

"I understand the image tracings a little bit better. I understand how the height and what side of object the image is on effects the the orientation and size of the image. I also understand that if the lines can be traced back that makes the image virtual."

"When drawing ray tracings, rays move from left-to-right with the object located on the left of the lens. Once the tracing is complete, if it is a virtual image, then the image would be located on the left of the lens. If the image is real then the image will be located to the right of the lens."

"The magnification equation uses the ratio of image height to object height, or the negative value of image distance to object distance. Regardless of whether or not the image is enlarged or diminished, an upright image will always have a positive height value and an inverted image will have a negative height value."

"How the thin lens equation and magnification equation are derived. I understand the basics of the thin-lens and magnification formula. I understand how near point is corrected for someone who is farsighted and how the far point is corrected using a diverging lens for someone who is nearsighted."

"This section is still on converging and diverging lens, however, it talks about how cameras and eyes are similar because they are both converging lens which produce real images. Camera have a fixed focal length lens meaning on the image and object distance is the only thing influencing its equation. Eyes have fixed image length distance since the eye is constant. This means that only object distance and focal lens are then only factors that can change."

"The difference in the different 'sighted-nesses.' Myopia being nearsighted, meaning they can see things near to them better. Versus hyperopia being far-sighted meaning they can see things far to them better. I have heard of these terms before, but it is cool to know the physics behind it!"

Describe what you found confusing from the assigned textbook reading or presentation preview. Your description (2-3 sentences) should specifically identify the concept(s) that you do not understand.

"Real and virtual images are still giving me a little but of trouble. I am always unsure on my answers. Also comparing ray tracings was oddly difficult."

"I'm still struggling to understand how to distinguish between real/virtual, upright/inverted, and enlarged/diminished images."

"I'm still confused about what kind of image is produced through each lens, whether the image is real, virtual. I'm also not sure how to apply the thin lens equation."

"I'm still having trouble with the distinction of real image versus virtual image. Diverging lens are always virtual I believe but need more refreshing of these concepts."

"I do not understand the sign conventions for lenses, drawing ray tracings might help. The sign conventions were just given as a list in the book so it's hard to relate them to images being formed."

"How to use the thin lens and magnification equations correctly in-relation to examples. Need some example problems and discussion to process this quantitatively to the best of my ability."

Identify the following thin lens parameters. (Only correct responses shown.)

Focal length: f [91%]
(Linear) magnification factor: m [89%]
Object distance: d_o [94%]
Object height: h_o [83%]
Image distance: d_i [86%]
Image height: h_i [94%]

For a simple camera, identify which parameter(s) must change or remain constant in order to focus on different distance objects.

Focal length: remains constant [49%]
Lens-to-film distance: changes [60%]

For a model eye, identify which parameter(s) must change or remain constant in order to focus on different distance objects.

Focal length: changes [80%]
Lens-to-retina distance: remains constant [74%]

Identify the type of lens, image, and example ray tracing produced in the online reading assignment examples. (Only correct responses shown.)

Lens: converging [66%] (Only converging lenses can make inverted images.)
Image: real [63%] (All inverted images are real.)
Ray tracing: 1 [46%]

Lens: diverging [43%] (Only diverging lenses can make upright, diminished images.)
Image: virtual [46%] (All upright images are virtual.)
Ray tracing: 6 [26%]

Lens: converging [60%] (Only converging lenses can make upright, enlarged images.)
Image: virtual [46%] (All upright images are virtual.)
Ray tracing: 4 [20%]

Lens: diverging [49%] (Only diverging lenses can make upright, diminished images.)
Image: virtual [49%] (All upright images are virtual.)
Ray tracing: 7, 8, 9 or 10 [31%]

Lens: converging [40%] (Only converging lenses can make inverted images.)
Image: real [40%] (All inverted images are real, as the candle is upright, and the projected image is upside-down.)
Ray tracing: 1 [11%]

Lens: diverging [51%] (Only diverging lenses can make upright, diminished images.)
Image: virtual [54%] (All upright images are virtual.)
Ray tracing: 7, 8, 9 or 10 [28%]

Lens: converging [60%] (Only converging lenses can make upright, enlarged images.)
Image: virtual [46%] (All upright images are virtual.)
Ray tracing: 5 [29%]

Lens: converging [54%] (Only converging lenses can make inverted images.)
Image: real [46%] (All inverted images are real, as the slide is upside-down, making the projected image on the wall upright.)
Ray tracing: 2 [26%]

A person with no vision defects can see both nearby and distance objects. Identify what can be seen by a person with the following vision defects. (Only correct responses shown.)

Myopia: can see nearby objects [97%]
Hyperopia: can see distant objects [97%]
Presbyopia: can see distant objects [91%]

Ask the instructor an anonymous question, or make a comment. Selected questions/comments may be discussed in class.

"Can we please go over real and virtual images again in the examples above? I wasn't sure how to identify the ray tracings."

"I really just don't understand how we can tell whether an image is produced from a converging or diverging lens. So confused!"

"I feel that I need a lot of help with the lenses and real-life examples because I feel lost."

"Is the difference between concave and convex lenses the same as the difference between converging and diverging lenses?" (Yes, exactly.)

"I'm really unsure of how to distinguish between what produces a real or virtual image just based on the object. I feel like I missed a blog presentation that explained this because I've looked through them and I can't seem to find the best resource to help me understand them. I can see on the worksheet where the light rays intersect (or don't) if they are real or virtual and also if they are upright or diminished. I just don't know how we can determine this just be knowing what object light isis passing through. Maybe I am missing something really obvious?" (We officially didn't have a super-specific reading or lecture on this, but we had a flowchart to determine whether an image or real or virtual, and this process is something we'll pick up from practice rather than from strict formal definitions.)

"I thought this chapter was very intriguing because of its relation to human anatomy."

"Is it accurate to say that you can see a real image without having to look directly through a converging lens but in order to see a virtual image you have to look through the lens that produced it?" (Yes. You can only project a real image onto a screen, as you'll be doing in lab this week. You can see both real or virtual images by looking back through the lens.)

"Interesting material, also it's just been so cold in the mornings lately!"

Online reading assignment: lenses

Physics 205B, spring semester 2020
Cuesta College, San Luis Obispo, CA

Students have a bi-weekly online reading assignment (hosted by SurveyMonkey.com), where they answer questions based on reading their textbook, material covered in previous lectures, opinion questions, and/or asking (anonymous) questions or making (anonymous) comments. Full credit is given for completing the online reading assignment before next week's lecture, regardless if whether their answers are correct/incorrect. Selected results/questions/comments are addressed by the instructor at the start of the following lecture.

The following questions were asked on reading textbook chapters and previewing presentations on lenses.


Selected/edited responses are given below.

Describe what you understand from the assigned textbook reading or presentation preview. Your description (2-3 sentences) should specifically demonstrate your level of understanding.

"A focal point is the point at which rays or waves meet after reflection or refraction and the distance between the focal point and the lens is the focal length."

"Converging lenses refract light to a focal point and that diverging lenses refract light away from a point in space. In certain cases the image produced can be diminished, enlarged, upright or inverted."

"The distance that an object is from a lens determines where it is shown. It may also be inverted based on the distance from the lens."

Describe what you found confusing from the assigned textbook reading or presentation preview. Your description (2-3 sentences) should specifically identify the concept(s) that you do not understand.

"I do not understand real vs virtual images. I think I have a small grasp on both terms but why one is considered real and the other not, confuses me. Also every one of my diverging lens rays is the same which cannot be right."

"I'm not sure when the image projected is diminished, enlarged, upright or inverted. I also am not sure how to draw ray tracings for when the object is in front of the secondary focal point."

"The parts that seem confusing are the principal rays for converging lens. As well as the principal rays for diverging lens. I definitely found the ray tracing worksheets confusing."

"I had trouble figuring out when an image would be enlarged or diminished."

"Could work on drawing better."

"Nothing confusing I just want more practice to solidify my understanding."

Complete the online reading assignment ray tracings as best as you can. Identify the type of image produced for each ray tracing. (Only correct responses shown.)

Converging lens 1: real image [65%]
Converging lens 2: real image [70%]
Converging lens 3: (no image produced) [46%]
Converging lens 4: virtual image [41%]
Converging lens 5: virtual image [46%]
Diverging lens 6: virtual image [38%]
Diverging lens 7: virtual image [38%]
Diverging lens 8: virtual image [35%]
Diverging lens 9: virtual image [38%]
Diverging lens 10: virtual image [38%]

Complete the online reading assignment ray tracings as best as you can. Identify the image orientation and size produced for each ray tracing. (Only correct responses shown.)

Converging lens 1: inverted, diminished [62%]
Converging lens 2: inverted, enlarged [54%]
Converging lens 3: (no image produced) [44%]
Converging lens 4: upright, enlarged [49%]
Converging lens 5: upright, enlarged [51%]
Diverging lens 6: upright, diminished [41%]
Diverging lens 7: upright, diminished [38%]
Diverging lens 8: upright, diminished [30%]
Diverging lens 9: upright, diminished [35%]
Diverging lens 10: upright, diminished [32%]

Ask the instructor an anonymous question, or make a comment. Selected questions/comments may be discussed in class.

"I need a lot of help understand real and virtual images. I do not understand how to tell the difference."

"May we review real/virtual images? I found that quite confusing."

"Can we please see each ray tracing in class so I know if I drew mine right?"

"I have questions about drawing the rays."

"More individual ray worksheets would be awesome!"

"I drew the rays but I'm still not sure what I'm looking at..."

"This is going to take some getting used to."

"Why can't diverging lenses create an image larger than the object?" (When a diverging lens makes an image from an object, the resulting image will always be smaller. However, if a diverging lens takes light that passed through another lens first (making it a virtual object, which we won't get into this semester, as those ray tracings are pretty intense), then the resulting image can be bigger than the original object!)

"Also out of curiosity how old is P-dog?" (I'm old. Old AF.)

Online reading assignment: Milky Way history, big bang clues (SLO campus)

Astronomy 210, fall semester 2019
Cuesta College, San Luis Obispo, CA

Students have a weekly online reading assignment (hosted by SurveyMonkey.com), where they answer questions based on reading their textbook, material covered in previous lectures, opinion questions, and/or asking (anonymous) questions or making (anonymous) comments. Full credit is given for completing the online reading assignment before next week's lecture, regardless if whether their answers are correct/incorrect. Selected results/questions/comments are addressed by the instructor at the start of the following lecture.

The following questions were asked on reading textbook chapters and previewing presentations on the history of the Milky Way and big bang clues, a comic strip adaptation of Neil deGrasse Tyson's "The Most Astounding Fact" 2008 interview for TIME magazine, a TED-talk video explanation of measuring extreme distances, and Minute Physics video explanations of Olbers' paradox and the expanding universe.


Selected/edited responses are given below.

Describe something you found interesting from the assigned textbook reading or presentation preview, and explain why this was personally interesting for you.

"What I found quite interesting is how many compounds/things today come from stars in the past. I've never thought about that."

"That the calcium in our bones, carbon in our body and iron in our blood were all formed from a past star...like, what???"

"That for stars such as Deneb when we do see them we're looking at their past form, not its current state."

"The concept of light-years and seeing stars, planets, and galaxies as they were so many years ago is really crazy to think about and super-cool. So basically, hypothetically, if the sun were to go out, we would have a nice 8-ish minutes before freezing to death."

"The concept of space and time is fascinating. One fact from the 'light seconds, light years, light centuries' video that I thought was cool: the Big Dipper appears to us the way it looked 80 years ago, because it took that long for light to travel to Earth."

"That we can use type Ia supernovae to tell how far away something is from us in space. I didn't realize that supernovae were brighter than their galaxies."

"The universe having finite age, but not a finite size."

"To think that there isn't an edge to our universe, and I could see why a lot of people go along with the misconception that there is a 'center to the universe.' There is no center, and it appears to be that the space between galaxies continue to expand over time. We're on the grow!"

Describe something you found confusing from the assigned textbook reading or presentation preview, and explain why this was personally confusing for you.

"I'm kind of confused on how the amounts of elements changed over time, but other than that I'm good."

"I'm confused by what each thing produces which element and things of that sort; it's just a lot to take in and it's confusing me."

"I'm confused about the production of elements. I think I might need to learn about it in person to truly grasp the concept."

"The monolithic collapse and bottom-up models are slightly confusing because they are both theories about the formation of the Milky Way. I have a feeling I may or may not mix them up."

"Why the universe keeps expanding and why do younger stars have more metal than older stars? Will the universe stop expanding? Since older stars fuse elements heavier than helium, shouldn't they have more metal?"

"How does the universe continually expand? How is there no limit or will there ever be a limit?"

"How the universe is infinite. It's crazy trying to wrap my head around that. How can it have no end? It just never ends? It's mind-blowing, really."

"The age and 'boundary' of the universe, and how it is determined. I think the human brain isn't evolved enough to grasp such complex (and almost metaphysical) topics, so things can start seeming very counter-intuitive. I am looking forward to our in-class discussion to clarify the topic."

Indicate how the amount of these elements in the universe have changed over time.
(Only correct responses shown.)

Hydrogen: decreased [65%]
Metals (elements heavier than hydrogen and helium): increased [70%]

The outermost layers of __________ are more abundant in metals (elements heavier than hydrogen and helium).

extremely old stars that formed a long time ago.	**** [4]
young stars that formed very recently.	**************** [16]
(There is a tie.)	[0]
(Neither, as stars cannot have metals.)	[0]
(Unsure/guessing/lost/help!)	[0]

Indicate what produced these elements.
(Only correct responses shown.)

Hydrogen in the sun's core: the very early universe [45%]
Helium in the sun's core: the sun [40%]
Carbon in your body: another star, in the past [65%]
Calcium in your bones: another star, in the past [50%]
Iron in your blood: another star, in the past [75%]
Gold and silver from mines: another star, in the past [45%]

Ask the instructor an anonymous question, or make a comment. Selected questions/comments may be discussed in class.

"At first there is nothing...bada bing bada boom...now the universe exists!"

"Thank you for giving us a constant supply of astronomy comics."

"This class has put me in an existential crisis."

"How is it even possible that the big bang occurred?" (I don't think we can ever answer 'why the big bang occurred,' but we are certainly able to answer 'how do we know the big bang occurred?')

"Will the final cover the last few chapters we are going over?" (Yes, along with the last quiz.)

"Do we have more than one Hubble telescope in space right now?" (The Hubble Space Telescope is designed to observe visible light; all the other space telescopes are designed to observe in different wavelengths (such as x-ray, infrared, etc.) that would be blocked by Earth's atmosphere.)

"Headline: 'Swiss Deny Dairy Product Influence on Moon Composition.'"

"How close are we to seeing the big bang?" (We see its after-effects everywhere around us.)

"If humans are made from stardust, then are there aliens also made from stardust?" (Yes, unless those aliens are made up only of hydrogen.)