Students' and alumni's expectations about the use of generative artificial intelligence have changed over the past nine months, as they have become increasingly aware of how important acquiring skills in these technologies can be to their future careers.
This is one of the key revelations from a report by Jisc. This UK non-profit organization provides networking and IT services and digital resources in support of higher education and research, as well as the public sector.
Jisc has conducted a survey of 200 UK university students. This is its second edition, the first having been published in August 2023. Thus, there have been several significant changes in the three quarters that have elapsed.
The main one is that there is growing demand for education to embed generative AI across the curriculum to reflect the AI-enabled world we live and work in.
Another is the transition that is occurring to collaborative learning. Thus, generative AI is being used more as a training function, providing support for active learning and critical thinking rather than being used as a technology that only provides answers.
It also becomes clear that students are increasingly concerned about equity, bias, and accessibility issues related to GenAI and want educators to address them in a safe, inclusive, and responsive manner.
On the other hand, academics likewise expect educators to be able to use generative AI competently, include it comprehensively throughout education, and implement policies for fair and effective use.
Applicable 'uniformly' to all of their education
“Following the launch of the first report on student perceptions of generative AI, we recognized the importance of continuing the conversation with students as the technology and our understanding of how best to use it continue to evolve,” explained Sue Attewell, head of AI and co-design at Jisc.
“Confidence is clearly growing among students and learners as AI becomes more and more integrated into our daily lives, and her demands for GenAI-ready skills to prepare them for the future workplace are spot on,” she adds.
In addition, Attewell says that among the key concerns that have featured prominently in the discussion forums are “their dedication to equality, accessibility and fair use”. In this sense, she believes that “educators must act accordingly if they want to ensure a positive learning experience for all".
After conducting the study, Jisc found that, in general, university students want a generative AI experience that is “safe, responsive, accessible and adaptable and applied uniformly across their education, delivered by capable, AI-trained educators to help them achieve their future ambitions.
