School of Computing, Engineering and Technology

Leveraging Generative AI to Enhance Student Learning Outcomes: A Framework for Educational Innovation

This project explores the impact of generative AI on student and teacher practices, examining early adoption to identify effective use patterns that enhance student learning and support educators in integrating AI into pedagogy.

Award

MRes | MPhil | PhD | MSc by Research

Start Date

Usually February and October - at individual School's discretion

Research Opportunities

Summary

The rapid development of artificial intelligence (AI) is transforming nearly every sector, including higher education, with profound implications for students, educators, and policymakers alike. This project focuses on understanding the role of generative AI within the educational experience, investigating how students and educators can effectively use generative AI systems to enhance learning and teaching practices.

Generative AI, with its ability to create content, respond interactively, and adapt based on user input, offers unique opportunities for improving student engagement, understanding, and overall learning outcomes. This project proposes to examine how early adopters use generative AI to augment their learning, identify patterns of effective use, and determine how these applications can enhance comprehension and engagement across diverse student needs. For instance, generative AI can support students in problem-solving by generating examples, explaining complex concepts, and providing personalized feedback. However, while these technologies promise new avenues for learning, they also present challenges, including potential over-reliance on AI-generated content, ethical considerations, and the need for digital literacy skills to critically assess AI responses. In addition to investigating student use, this project might also consider how generative AI can be a resource for educators. Generative AI offers tools to streamline lesson planning, generate interactive examples, and adapt content to varying student needs. By empowering educators to integrate these technologies into their pedagogical approach, the project seeks to foster a classroom environment that not only enhances student learning but also supports teachers in using AI to enrich the educational experience.

As the findings of this research emerge, they are expected to contribute to a framework for generative AI use in higher education. This framework will outline best practices for both students and educators, equipping them with strategies for integrating AI into coursework in ways that support active, critical, and personalized learning. Additionally, the framework will address ethical considerations, including data privacy, the importance of human oversight, and methods for evaluating AI-generated content.

Ultimately, this project aims to fill critical knowledge gaps in understanding how generative AI can serve as a powerful educational tool when used effectively. By exploring how students and educators can engage with these systems, the research not only aims to support current practices but also to lay the groundwork for future pedagogical approaches that are adaptable to evolving AI technologies. The insights gained from this study will inform stakeholders across the educational spectrum-students, teachers, administrators, and policymakers-about the potential for generative AI to play a transformative role in higher education and to help ensure that its integration into learning environments is both effective and ethically sound.