The use of AI by students has quickly become an integral part of their studies. But how should teaching adapt to a digital world evolving at record speed? An ongoing study by researchers from the Division for Communication and Learning in Science is tackling these questions by interviewing university educators.
“We want to identify the educational changes teachers see as necessary in the next two years. How does AI affect educators? What can they handle within their own roles, and where are broader efforts needed at other levels?” says Tiina Leino Lindell, postdoc and one of the researchers behind the study.
The researchers began by interviewing students to understand how tools like ChatGPT are used in their studies. These findings were then presented to teachers, who reflected on the results. The study is not yet complete, but the preliminary results are in, and the researchers have identified several interesting trends.
Educational programs need to adapt by integrating AI and establishing shared frameworks for its use. This could involve new courses, revised learning objectives, or updated teaching methods that account for students’ use of AI.
“Students feel more independent with the help of AI and tend to seek knowledge on their own. While this can be positive, teachers also see risks. AI encourages more individual work, but students also need to learn a more collective approach to problem-solving. Teachers believe this should be incorporated into the classroom,” says Tiina Leino Lindell.
The major challenge, of course, is the rapid pace at which AI tools are evolving, raising the risk that a new course could already be outdated by the time it is launched.
“Yes, it’s a complex issue, because we need to not only anticipate technological advancements but also understand how students will use new tools. Additionally, we must consider the labor market’s demand for AI skills to shape relevant educational programs,” says Leino Lindell.
The study will present six possible scenarios based on the interviews with the teachers.
“The study benefits both academia and society by creating empirically grounded future scenarios. It provides a deeper understanding of how teachers perceive AI’s role in education and highlights the need for responsible implementation within the educational system,” says Tiina Leino Lindell.
Questions?
- Postdoc, Engineering Education Research, Communication and Learning in Science