Key points:
- AI use brings with it concerns about academic integrity and PD
- Most students are using AI for academics
- When it comes to AI use, educators are more comfortable than students
- For more news on AI in higher ed, visit eCN’s AI in Education hub
Although ChatGPT debuted nearly two years ago, only 12 percent of instructors say they use generative AI on a daily basis to support their teaching practice, according to a new report from Top Hat, a provider of student engagement solutions for higher education.
Top Hat’s latest faculty survey report, From Promise to Practice: Harnessing Gen AI for Evidence-Based Teaching, details the current use of AI among more than 300 college and university educators in improving the quality and impact of instruction.
Fifty-one percent of faculty say they use AI tools occasionally to support their teaching practice, and 37 percent report never using it. Survey respondents who agree or strongly agree they are proficient in evidence-based teaching are more likely to make regular use of generative AI to support their course design compared to those who are less familiar or experienced in using these approaches.
Fifty percent of respondents express optimism regarding the potential of AI to facilitate the incorporation of evidence-based teaching practices.
Fifty-eight percent of surveyed faculty say formal training on maintaining academic integrity through assessment and assessment design is a high priority, 44 percent say formal training on incorporating activities to promote student AI literacy is a high priority, and 33 percent indicate that formal training on the use of AI for course design and delivery is a high priority.
Institutions are not meeting the demand for faculty development. Of the 49 percent who’ve received training on generative AI, 48 percent have relied on organizations outside of their institution.
The conversation around AI has been dominated by concerns over academic integrity and growing urgency to promote student AI literacy. What has received less attention is the role of AI in supporting evidence-based teaching practices proven to positively impact student persistence and success.
Despite AI’s potential, faculty remain concerned about its impact on various areas of higher education. Eighty-seven percent are concerned about its impact on academic integrity, 82 percent are concerned about potential bias, 70 percent are concerned about the quality of student learning, and 63 percent are concerned about equity and accessibility.
Perhaps as a reflection of these concerns, only 36 percent of surveyed faculty explicitly permit students to use AI in completing course requirements, while 58 percent do not explicitly permit it.
“Using AI to improve course design and delivery remains a promising yet largely unrealized opportunity,” said Dr. Bradley Cohen, chief academic officer at Top Hat. “By putting evidence-based teaching practices at the heart of efforts to advance faculty adoption of AI, institutions stand to realize the combined benefits of ensuring more faculty appreciate the potential value of AI–while advancing teaching methods shown to improve student persistence and success.”
The report found that most instructors express optimism about the potential of AI to enhance instruction. Yet lack of exposure and inconsistent training remain key obstacles in realizing the potential of AI in accelerating evidence-based teaching practices like active learning, frequent low-stakes assessments, and helping students to ‘learn how to learn.’
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