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As generative AI tools like ChatGPT become increasingly popular in higher education, institutions must take decisive action to ensure that all students can effectively engage with these technologies. With AI usage increasing across industries, it is important for higher education institutions to incorporate this new digital literacy skills into the student experience to ensure they can utilize it effectively in the workplace.
Recent research from WGU Labs highlights several barriers institutions must overcome to effectively and equitably integrate AI into the student experience. These barriers include significant disparities in awareness and usage of the tools, a lack of confidence among students in their ability to use the tools effectively, and negative attitudes toward applications of AI that replace the core work of faculty. This blog explores strategies to address these barriers and create inclusive and effective AI-enhanced learning experiences for students.
1. Promote AI Literacy Across All Student Demographics
One of the key findings from our research is that AI awareness and usage are unevenly distributed across student groups. While overall awareness has increased, significant gaps persist, particularly among first-generation students, who are 12 percentage points less likely than their peers to be aware of AI tools like ChatGPT. Online learners and students aged 25 or older also lag behind their peers in AI engagement.
To bridge these disparities, institutions should develop comprehensive AI literacy programs that are accessible to all students. These programs need to be inclusive of under-resourced and first generation groups, ensuring they are designed with the needs of these students in mind. For instance, offering these programs in a variety of learning formats and modalities can help meet the diverse needs of learners. Additionally, it's essential that these programs build practical skills by providing hands-on training in using AI tools effectively. For example, institutions could develop workshops that teach students how to write effective AI prompts, critically evaluate AI-generated content, and understand the ethical implications of AI use.
By promoting AI literacy in this targeted and inclusive manner, institutions can empower diverse groups of learners to use AI to enhance their learning.
2. Integrate AI into Curricula to Enhance Learning
Our research indicates that fewer than half of students feel confident in their ability to use AI tools effectively, and only 18% are receiving explicit instruction on AI use from their instructors. To address this, institutions must take steps to ensure that students receive explicit guidance on how to use the tools effectively.
Faculty should be encouraged to explicitly include AI instruction into their curricula. To do so, institutions should provide faculty with training on AI tools, share best practices for incorporating AI into course content, and offer incentives for faculty who develop innovative AI-related teaching methods. Moreover, AI tools should be seamlessly integrated into existing courses across disciplines in ways that complement existing curricula. For example, humanities courses could explore the ethical implications of AI, while business courses could use AI tools to analyze market trends.
By embedding AI into a wide range of subjects, students can develop a more holistic understanding of these technologies and an applied understanding of how to use them.
3. Establish Clear Ethical Guidelines for AI Use
Our findings showed that students’ perceptions of the ethics of AI use are nuanced. We saw significant differences in ethical perceptions of AI based on whether students had previously engaged with the tools. Moreover, while 69% of students reported that using AI to generate coursework responses was unethical, a much smaller percentage viewed AI use for background research or brainstorming as problematic.
Institutions must develop comprehensive ethical guidelines covering various aspects of AI use to guide students in navigating these ethical complexities. These guidelines should be a collaborative effort between administrators and faculty and should be integrated into AI literacy programs. Case studies, ethical scenarios, and interactive discussions can help students critically engage with the ethical dimensions of AI use.
By establishing clear ethical guidelines and promoting responsible AI use, institutions can help students leverage the benefits of AI while maintaining the integrity of their academic work.
4. Foster Inclusive Conversations About AI
Many of the students in our sample held negative attitudes toward applications of AI that would replace the core work of faculty, such as providing feedback on coursework, creating course syllabi, and teaching entire courses. As higher education institutions continue to roll out new applications of AI, it is critical to understand how students perceive these applications.
To foster inclusive conversations about AI, institutions should create open forums, panel discussions, and workshops where students, faculty, and administrators can discuss the role of AI in education. These events should encourage diverse perspectives and provide a space for students to voice their concerns, ask questions, and share their experiences with AI.
By involving students in the development of institutional AI policies and practices, institutions can ensure that AI strategies are aligned with the needs and expectations of the student body.
Conclusion
As AI becomes increasingly integrated into higher education, it is imperative that institutions take proactive steps to ensure that all students are prepared to engage with these technologies effectively and ethically. These efforts will not only enhance the educational experience but also prepare students for the AI-driven demands of the modern workforce.