Artificial intelligence (AI) is rapidly transforming education, presenting both opportunities and challenges for instructors. By thoughtfully integrating AI, educators can create more engaging, personalized, and accessible learning experiences.

AI as a Teaching Partner 

Instructors can use AI-powered tools to develop educational materials that are adaptive and inclusive. Generative AI can help create diverse examples, translate content into multiple languages, and assist with accessibility features like text-to-speech or alternative text generation. They can even be a great source for generating multiple choice responses when developing assessments. Read more from Harvard’s guide on AI in the classroom or FSU’s AI teaching resources.

Risks of AI 

As students increasingly use AI tools in their coursework, it can become difficult to ignore their impact on learning. Reliance on tools like ChatGPT may cause discrepancies between curriculum expectations of students and instructors. Common concerns of improper use by students are academic integrity violations and lack of learning. At the same time, specific implementations of AI in the classroom, such as automated grading of subjective materials, may alienate students from the learning process. It is incredibly valuable to initiate and develop dialogue surrounding clear guidelines on ethical AI use, discuss its limitations, and encourage critical engagement rather than passive reliance.

Practical Steps for Instructors

• Experiment with AI tools for content generation, quiz creation, or accessibility enhancements. Often, these can be used as a jumping point or inspiration for developing educational material specific to your goals.
• Engage students in discussions about AI’s role in learning and critical thinking. A great starting point may be in adding generative AI statements to your syllabus, as recommended by UT Austin.
• Provide structured opportunities for students to reflect on their AI usage and its impact on their learning.

Dig Deeper:

• Artificial Intelligence and the Future of Teaching and Learning: A comprehensive report by the U.S. Department of Education exploring the implications of AI in educational settings.
• The Impact of Artificial Intelligence on Learner–Instructor Interaction: This research article examines how AI systems can support online learning and teaching by personalizing learning experiences and automating routine tasks.
• Artificial Intelligence and Education: Curated by JSTOR Daily, this reading list offers a selection of articles discussing various aspects of AI in education.

Generative AI has great potential in enhancing the learning process for students and improving workflows for instructors. If you have any concerns about AI tools or ideas on how they can be used to improve education, please let us know! A big part of our UDL and Accessibility Research Group initiatives is in understanding opportunities for improving student and instructor experiences in accessible education.