Spotlight
Good afternoon all,
Thanks to those of you who joined us for our last AI Roundtable of 2023 – this time, focusing on inclusion. We had the chance to hear students share their perspectives on how GenAI tools can be used to enhance inclusion. Our main takeaway was that although it is important to be aware of the limitations of GenAI and to develop AI literacy to limit the perpetuation of social biases and inequities, allowing these tools to be used as assistive technology can also remove barriers to flourishing in higher education. If you missed it, you can watch the recording of the session here.
We are starting to plan our programming for 2024. If you’d like to suggest any topic or guest speaker, please reach out to us by email.
News & Research
Lem, P. Times Higher Education. November 20th, 2023.
A recent study found that less than half (23) of the top 50 universities worldwide based on the 2023 World University Rankings have developed publicly available guidelines for the use of GenAI in academic settings. “Without clear guidelines, instructors may take a defensive approach to GenAI and adopt more in-class assessments or feel frustrated as they struggle to adapt their assessment practices without institutional guidance”, warns the researcher Benjamin Moorhouse, Assistant Professor of Education at Hong Kong Baptist University. “Lack of a clear stance on the tools can put universities ‘in a difficult position’, leaving faculty blind even as many learners use AI in their coursework.” Dr Moorhouse thinks many institutions are taking a “wait and see” approach.
Westermann, M. Times Higher Education. November 23rd, 2023.
New York University Abu Dhabi vice-chancellor Mariët Westermann shares her thoughts on higher education’s response to GenAI. “Most universities have no idea how best to handle AI this semester”. However, “in the decade ahead, no university will survive without a GenAI strategy. Nor will any university prosper without leaders who are prepared to engage with its breathless evolution”. “The real challenge of ChatGPT for universities, however, is not how to police plagiarism more effectively. The question we need to think about is whether plagiarism or cheating are even useful categories of pedagogic concern when the world is adopting GenAI at breakneck speed.” “Policy development and practical training are variable across and within institutions, or even non-existent. Simply put, instructors are telling their universities: ‘Help me!’”. On their end, “students want universities to help them optimize the upside of GenAI and minimize the risks. They want professors to teach them how to use it well. In short, students are also telling their universities: ‘Help me!’”.
Anthology. 2023.
This report focuses on responses from the United States to a survey conducted by Anthology that gathered responses from 5,000 higher education leaders and current students in 11 countries. Although 38% of students indicated using GenAI tools at least monthly, “students in the US trail all other countries surveyed except for students in the UK related to the frequency of use and familiarity with GenAI”. University leaders also trail in their adoption of GenAI, with only 23% of respondents being monthly users. However, approximately half of students and university leaders expect their use of GenAI to increase in the next 6 months. Almost half of students feel AI will enhance student engagement and interactivity, and approximately 40% believe it will be supportive in helping generate ideas and will revolutionize teaching and learning methods. About one in 6 students feel that GenAI is unethical and should not be allowed in higher education. As for university leaders, they also believe the biggest impact AI will play in higher education will be to enhance student engagement and interactivity (around 35% of respondents), followed by providing personalized learning experiences (a little over 30%). However, more than one in three leaders feel that GenAI is unethical and should not be allowed in higher education – one of the highest percentages across the 11 countries surveyed. 53% of leaders surveyed reported that their university had rolled out a university-wide policy with respect to GenAI, and 20% reported being currently in the process of developing one.
Williams, T. Times Higher Education. November 23rd, 2023.
Researchers of a recent study warn that “automating routine tasks using AI will likely only increase the administrative burden on academics instead of freeing up time for more critical thinking. […] The risk that the technology brings is that the space it frees up is filled with more administrative tasks”.
Waruru, M. University World News. November 23rd, 2023.
AI is trained on the data that it receives. “African universities need to invest in technical capacity for AI if they are to avoid the risk of ‘data colonialism’ – whereby they are reduced to being mere consumers of data they do not own or control. […] Universities need to invest in the capacity of their staff to enable them to generate data they will use in teaching, research and administrative processes using GenAI to ensure the continent is not left behind in the revolution. […] Embracing the technology is not negotiable, and one way of doing so is by developing authentic data sets to ensure that universities are not net consumers of foreign-owned content”. It is also crucial for universities to “develop their own code of conduct for the use of AI to fit local realities”.
More Information
Want more? Consult HESA’s Observatory on AI Policies in Canadian Post-Secondary Education.
This email was forwarded to you by a colleague? Make sure to subscribe to our AI-focused newsletter so you don’t miss the next ones.
Tweet this post
