AI’s Expanding Role in Higher Education: A Double-Edged Sword?
As technology continues to evolve at a rapid pace, the integration of artificial intelligence (AI) into higher education is becoming increasingly prevalent. At Georgia State University, Professor G. Sue Kasun exemplifies this trend by utilizing generative AI to aid in course development. Specifically, she has leveraged Google’s Gemini AI to generate ideas for course readings and activities that focus on the integration of identity and culture in language education.
In a world where time is a scarce resource for educators, AI offers a much-needed solution. Kasun highlights this by noting that AI provides various suggestions such as prompting students to create images or poems — tasks she might not have considered due to time constraints. She also employs AI to construct grading rubrics, ensuring the AI-generated content aligns with her educational objectives.
The use of AI in higher education is growing. According to a survey conducted by Tyton Partners, 40% of administrators and 30% of instructors are using generative AI at least weekly, a significant increase from earlier in 2023. The reasons for this rise are multifaceted, with educators using AI for curriculum development, research, and even administrative tasks.
Reports from AI companies like Anthropic reveal that professors frequently use AI to design lesson plans and interactive learning tools. “When we looked into the data late last year, we saw that of all the ways people were using Claude, education made up two out of the top four use cases,” says Drew Bent, Anthropic’s education lead. These AI tools are not only employed for curriculum development but also for facilitating research and managing budgets.
How AI is Revolutionizing Academic Tasks
Anthropic’s data, collected from approximately 74,000 conversations with the AI chatbot Claude, indicates that 57% of these interactions involved curriculum development. Educators are increasingly interested in using AI to create web-based games and simulations for students. Bent notes, “It’s helping write the code so that you can have an interactive simulation that you as an educator can share with students in your class.”
While curriculum design dominates, AI is also used for research and administrative tasks. In fact, 13% of the conversations involved academic research, while others focused on tasks like budget planning and drafting recommendation letters. Interestingly, AI’s involvement in teaching and lesson design tends to be more collaborative.
AI in Grading: A Controversial Subject
Grading is another area where AI’s role is debated. Anthropic’s analysis found that 7% of conversations dealt with grading student work. However, some educators, like Marc Watkins from the University of Mississippi, voice concerns about this trend. He warns of a “nightmare scenario,” where students use AI to write papers, and teachers use AI to grade them, questioning the fundamental purpose of education.
Watkins and others argue that AI should not undermine the essential relationships between professors and students. Kasun shares this sentiment, stating that professors need more guidance on effectively integrating AI into their work. “We are here, sort of alone in the forest, fending for ourselves,” she says.
Drew Bent suggests that tech companies should collaborate with educational institutions to navigate this new landscape. He cautions against tech companies dictating how educators should use AI, emphasizing that the choices made today will shape the educational experiences of future students.
