Online Student and Faculty Perceptions of Generative AI

The most frequent concern was about the quality of information received from generative AI tools. Many described concerns about the inaccuracy of the information received from AI tools. They also expressed concerns about the lack of reliable information, incomplete information, the lack of credible or reputable sources, out-of-date data, and hallucinations. 

Some students included the impacts of this poor quality of information on their knowledge:

“I worry that by using it small mistakes or information will be integrated into our knowledge base without us realizing the error.”

“[I am concerned] That any of us who use it will assume that it is providing accurate and thorough information, and we don't need to look further or do our own research or thinking.”

Strategies for instructors

• Consider assignments that involve evaluating generative AI output to identify strengths and weaknesses.
• Emphasize information literacy including emphasizing the sources of quality information in your discipline.
• Reiterate the importance of acquiring foundational knowledge and skills in the discipline to be able to accurately evaluate generative AI output.

Many students expressed concerns with the misuse of generative AI tools including plagiarism, unethical use, and cheating by others. They expressed mistrust in their classmates who were using generative AI for discussion points or to complete assignments. Two students expressed concerns about misuse as it impacted their instructors:

“Plagiarism is a concern for efficient use of time for instructors. I want my instructor to be able to focus on teaching and responding to my learning, not sleuthing out others' plagiarism”

“I feel that there are many people who use it in order to cheat their way through their classes. I am concerned that teachers are being taken advantage of by its use as their materials aren't fully being studied but instead being copy and pasted.”

Strategies for instructors

• Explore ways to communicate throughout the term about how your course policies about AI are intended to promote responsible use.
• Engage in discussions about the value of education and how responsible use upholds the norms and values of higher education, including the trust required for effective communities of learning.
• Consider assignments where students can critically evaluate AI tools in their own learning process.

Advanced strategies

• Co-create or co-design course policies about generative AI use with students in the course.
• Extend course-level policies to specific, assignment-level information about how AI should be used or not used.

The second most frequent related concern was about decrements or declines in learning, critical thinking, writing, creativity or other educational skills that were attributed to the use of generative AI tools. Students expressed concerns about the degradation of their own skills and the skills of others: 

“I think it's literally making me dumber, but also makes some tasks so much easier”

“Being a student should be all about learning, thinking independently, and explaining things in your own words. If answers are readily available and easy to access, critical thinking is skipped.”

“Students and professionals using it as a replacement to critical thinking and emotional integration. And further being able to fake that they’ve learned or can apply a concept, effectively collectively lowering everyone’s abilities and unique abilities.”

Related to skill degradation, some students expressed concerns about becoming dependent or reliant on generative AI tools. They were concerned that this reliance would have impacts on current and future learning:

“If students rely too heavily on AI, there will be a lot of problems with the competency of future professionals.”

“That society doesn't lose their ability to think critically and becomes too reliant on generative AI”

Strategies for instructors

• Explore ways to guide students the use of AI in ways that support, not replace critical thinking, reasoning and learning.
• Consider assignments that demonstrate how AI tools can be used to scaffold the learning process.
• Consider applied assignments or projects that draw on students’ lived experiences.
• Communicate the value of students’ unique ideas and contributions in course activities.

Some students expressed negative feelings toward classmates who used generative AI to complete assignments or discussions. Students who noticed classmates using generative AI in discussion boards, indicated they were less interested in engaging with those classmates’ posts.

“For online courses, I am concerned that other students misuse GenAI. I've noticed some classmates exclusively use GenAI for discussion posts. This makes me not want to engage with their discussions since it is not their original work and often inaccurate to the course concepts.”

“I am concerned my classmates will use it to respond to my discussion posts and it feels like I'm not getting honest feedback.”

“Students who clearly use it to generate response are annoying and I typically will no longer engage with those students.”

Strategies for instructors

• Explicitly state your expectations for human interactions among students in the course.
• Redesign discussion board prompts with an emphasis on personal interactions about students’ lived experience.
• Improve instructor monitoring of discussion boards to bring human value into discussions.
• Consider revising large group discussions to small group discussions to increase peer-to-peer accountability.