Artificial Intelligence (AI) and other emerging technologies and practices are rapidly shaping the evolving future of teaching and learning, envisioning a number of scenarios and implications for the new generations of higher education students as well as faculty.
AI-powered tools, such as ChatGPT by OpenAI, have opened up new opportunities in higher education for communication, teaching, and learning. As faculty and leaders continue to learn and understand the diverse needs of their students, they are paying special attention to the ever evolving skill set their graduates will need when the time to join the workforce comes.
This year’s Teaching and Learning Horizon Report published by EDUCAUSE, a higher education technology association, touched on the seemingly opposite ideas of supplanting human activity with powerful new technological capabilities and the need for more humanity at the center of everything we do.
The potential for AI to become mainstream is growing
A number of simple AI tools designed to improve or replace repetitive tasks are already ubiquitous in higher education. AI is already helping institutions to save money and improve efficiency addressing persistent challenges such as enrollment, student retention, and financial aid allocation.
AI can also impact the teaching experience by helping faculty create instructional content and grade assessments. AI can impact the student experience by increasing engagement through the use of avatars, chatbots, and the Metaverse. In addition, AI can improve learning outcomes via personalizing the learning experience. Yet, there is more to come.
It is only a matter of time before AI will become mainstream
AI is expected to change the teaching and learning experience as we know it. Advancements in AI and machine learning, such as the emergence and use of ChatGPT in higher education, can greatly improve learning outcomes by giving access to all the information students need in a fraction of time.
On the other hand, such advances in AI have sparked debates about academic integrity, accuracy, fairness, and equity. AI-powered tools such as ChatGPT are becoming more sophisticated and widely available. While some doubt about their efficiency and accuracy arguing that reliance on these tools might cause students to lose important skills, others say that it is too early to determine whether these concerns are wholly founded or a mere result of lack of understanding of the technology, its potential uses, and practical case studies available.
As we move forward, we will learn how some academics across the globe are already utilizing AI in their courses, creating new ways of teaching and learning, and working toward a future where AI will become mainstream across all levels of education.
Evidence shows that AI can write college essays that are pretty much indistinguishable from human writing. However, human creativity, reasoning, common sense, and critical thinking is what is needed to convert a basic AI-generated first draft to an improved and accurate final essay. For this, concerns over potential misuse of AI technologies is not something that some experts are worried about. On the contrary; some experts believe that AI tools could actually be used to enhance student learning, taking the process to the next level.
According to the EDUCAUSE report, moving forward, institutions will need to plan and decide on their future strategy and how to leverage AI in order to improve efficiency but also to promote a more creative and innovative way of learning as well as ensuring that fairness and equity are maintained.
For more articles on AI, ChatGPT in higher education, see:
New Survey Finds AI is Replacing Tutors for Students
ChatGPT: Reimagining Assessment in Higher Education
Artificial Intelligence to Play Instrumental Role in the Future of Higher Education
ChatGPT, Generative AI are Wake Up Calls for Higher Education
The Future of AI in Personalized Learning in Higher Education