Critical Thinking and Artificial Intelligence
Grappling with ChatGPT in the Undergraduate Music Theory Classroom
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.15763/issn.2994-7073.2026.39.17-38Keywords:
artificial intelligence, LLMs, Large Language Models, music theoryAbstract
This article outlines the details of a critical thinking and Artificial Intelligence (AI) curriculum unit to give instructors one suggestion for how they might productively include the use of AI in their music theory classrooms. I share the different lessons and the assignment that I provided for my students, followed by a report of student responses and my assessment strategies. I conclude this article by encouraging music theory instructors to bring discussions of AI into the classroom in order to promote more meaningful learning outcomes—ones that extend beyond simply teaching students that ChatGPT and other Large Language Models (LLMs) are inappropriate to use. This AI unit encourages undergraduate music theory students to more thoroughly understand and experience the impacts of LLMs on critical-thinking skills.
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Copyright (c) 2026 Hannah Benoit (Author)
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