By Gift Simau
Artificial Intelligence (AI) is reshaping higher education globally, with countries like China integrating AI into learning and teaching. Universities are developing policies to regulate its use in education.
According to Adiguzel, AI refers to machines and programs that mimic human Intelligence. Tools like ChatGPT are making significant strides by helping students with essay writing, grammar corrections, text summarization, and even social media content creation. As a Generative Pre-Trained Transformer (GPT), Chat GPT learns from vast amounts of data and adapts to human thinking patterns. AI-generated content may encourage plagiarism and reduce students’ ability to develop critical thinking skills.
The Benefits of AI in Education
AI offers several advantages, especially for students whose first language is not English. Tools like Chat GPT and Grammarly can assist students in improving their grammar, punctuation, sentence structure, and academic writing. AI is equipping students with 21st-century skills and helping them develop their communication skills.
The Challenges of AI in Education
Despite the advantages of AI tools in higher education, there are a lot of challenges associated with AI. One of the most significant challenges in higher education is the issue of academic integrity due to AI’s ability to write students’ assignments and essays.
There is potential for students to misuse AI tools to produce answers for their work, compromising academic honesty and ethics. Students are compromising their academic ethical responsibilities by writing assignments and other research papers solely using Artificial Intelligence.
Research by Singh (2023) found that students are using AI technology to plagiarise and cheat when writing online examinations. Academic integrity in higher education is being challenged through the overuse of AI, as most plagiarism detection software cannot detect AI usage in students’ assignments. Misusing AI can result in poor writing skills, a lack of academic preparedness, and an over-reliance on technology, which may hinder students’ ability to learn independently.
The Way Forward
To address these concerns, African universities must develop policies that guide the ethical use of AI in education. Furthermore, free courses on artificial intelligence can be offered to equip students with the necessary skills and knowledge. Educators must also develop their skills in artificial Intelligence to be better able to demystify the role of artificial Intelligence as a supplementary learning tool in education.
One way to mitigate the risks of AI misuse is by emphasizing the ethical implications of plagiarism and requiring students to submit declarations that affirm the originality of their work. This approach could help balance the benefits of AI with the need to maintain academic integrity.
Conclusion
AI is transforming higher education by improving students’ learning, writing, and research. As universities incorporate AI into their curricula, it’s important to take a balanced approach that encourages ethical use while maximizing the advantages of AI tools.
