Week 10 Article Reflections (March 20th)
Happy spring break! 🌸 It has been nice to have a little bit of a break from coursework this week. I hope you all had a moment to pause and get a moment of rest as well. Last week, I used ChatGPT to make an image and write the final paragraph, where I connected the three studies I read. I really enjoyed that and plan to follow that format again this week. I'm looking forward to chatting this week!
As artificial intelligence (AI) continues to reshape the world we live in today, the impact it has had on education has become a big point of discussion. This week, I looked through three recent studies and how they explored how AI is influencing teaching, learning, and higher education policies.
This study looks into the ways generative AI is incorporated into student learning. I appreciated that the authors chose to ask whether AI enhances learning or just facilitates personalized but surface-level engagement? The authors argued that AI-driven tools can tailor educational experiences to individual student needs, but they may also lead to passive consumption instead of deep learning. The study emphasizes the need to balance AI-enabled personalization and critical thinking skills. This will help students develop problem-solving abilities rather than relying on automated assistance.
This study investigates the broader implications of AI in U.S. higher education. For this study, they drew insights from institutional leaders and educators. It highlights growing optimism about AI’s potential to enhance accessibility and administrative efficiency. However, it also underscores concerns about academic integrity, the need for AI literacy, and the preparedness of faculty to adapt to AI-driven changes. The study suggests that while AI presents opportunities for innovation, it requires careful governance to ensure ethical and effective implementation. When I read this study, I thought about how, in this class, we are often encouraged to interact with AI for different uses. This is drastically different than my other grad school classes, where professors prohibit entirely any use of AI. It made me reflect on how this does not really make sense. As the authors in the study suggest, there is a need for AI literacy. How do we accomplish this if professors ignore it entirely? If I want my 4th graders to become better digital citizens, I need to let them explore and interact with the digital world instead of disregarding it.
This study proposes a structured framework for incorporating generative AI into university-level teaching and learning. Cacho (2024) suggests a balanced approach, where AI is not fully embraced without critical oversight but not dismissed outright (as I mentioned in the last study). The model includes recommendations for responsible AI use, faculty training, and the development of guidelines to ensure AI supports traditional pedagogical methods rather than replaces them. The study further argues that AI should be a tool for augmentation rather than a substitute for human-driven instruction.
These three studies collectively highlight the ongoing debate over AI’s role in education, touching on personalization, institutional readiness, and balanced implementation. Key connections include:
- The Need for AI Literacy: Both Bae & Bozkurt and Johnson et al. emphasize the importance of preparing students and educators to critically engage with AI, rather than using it as a passive tool.
- Balancing Innovation with Integrity: All three studies point to the necessity of structured guidelines and ethical considerations to prevent AI misuse while maximizing its benefits.
- AI as an Enhancement, Not a Replacement: Cacho’s framework for balanced AI integration complements the concerns raised in the other studies, reinforcing the idea that AI should support, not replace, meaningful learning experiences.
As AI continues to shape the educational landscape, these studies provide valuable perspectives on its challenges and opportunities. The future of AI in education depends on how institutions, educators, and policymakers navigate the fine line between innovation and responsible implementation. By fostering AI literacy, developing ethical frameworks, and maintaining a focus on critical thinking, we can ensure that AI serves as a tool for true learning rather than a shortcut to superficial engagement.
References
Bae, H., & Bozkurt, A. (2024). The untold story of training students with generative AI: Are we preparing students for true learning or just personalization? Online Learning, Volume 28(3), (1-9).
Johnson, N., Seaman, J., & Seaman, J. (2024). The anticipated impact of artificial intelligence on US higher education: A National Study. Online Learning, Volume 28(3),(9-33).
Cacho, R. (2024). Integrating Generative AI in University Teaching and Learning: A Model for Balanced Guidelines, Online Learning, Volume 28(3), (55-81).
OpenAI. (2025). ChatGPT (March 13 version).
Great reflections from the readings this week. Your summary highlights three themes that are important when considering AI in education. AI literacy is important for both students, faculty, instructional designers, and parents. The understanding of AI use in education should be a collaborative effort. If students are learning to use AI in an ethical and effective way, all involved in their learning journey need to be a part of that. Balancing innovation with integrity, wow, what a powerful common theme. While the premise of using AI ethically and following guidelines may not be new, for me it is the wording of the statement. I think there is so much talk on if AI is being used ethically, which is important, but at times can hinder the progress toward using AI. Reframing that conversation, while remaining true to the ethics may be beneficial. Lastly, I agree that AI, in its current state, is an enhancement not a replacement. There are some that view AI as a replacement to teachers, but it will not replace teacher but only enhance the work teachers can do and student learnings.
ReplyDeleteI was encouraged to see such a positive overall outlook from the survey of universities. And if I'm being honest, I was surprised by the overall results. I read Integrating generative AI in university teaching and learning, and in it Cacho proposes a "six C" framework for university students to follow when incorporating AI into their work. I found it to be a really useful tool, and I think some of the hesitations felt by these professors might be made easier if they had a simple system to integrate into their syllabus/classroom guidelines. In one of these studies from this week, I read that there are some concerns about overall ability to remember information with the onslaught of AI in education - and it had me thinking about how that could also be a result of our fast-paced news cycle and social media system. I appreciate your insights and summaries, especially since I didn't get a chance to read one of these articles!
ReplyDeleteCacho, R. (2024). Integrating generative AI in university teaching and learning: A model for balanced guidelines. Online Learning, 28(3), 55-81. https://doi.org/10.24059/olj.v28i3.4508