Unleashing the Dragon? Artificial Intelligence (AI), Biographic Research, and Possibilities for Novel Learning Futures, Evolving Student Identity Conference

This presentation outlines novel collaborations between researchers in SETU Carlow and Waterford regarding Artificial Intelligence (AI), changing Higher Education (HE) technological landscapes and the potential of biographic research to explore nuanced HE futures. The emergence of education policies based on learning analytics, tertiary market demand and access is not easily understood, even though many citizen consultation processes are administered online. As HE providers grapple with AI, we must consider its social legitimacy in reimagined educational futures and the suitability of research tools to capture nuanced aspects of educational transformation.
Much research captures tensions in global societal discourses about AI but hitherto, there is scant social scientific research on societal attitudes towards AI nationally; its value and limitations in education, citizen fears and emotions. There are even fewer studies that actively leverage knowledge from different professional groups/citizens including students and lecturers to understand individual/collective understandings of AI in tertiary education and the socio-cultural legitimacy of AI in Irish society.

These challenges can be overcome to some extent using innovative methodologies to link the needs of universities, students and lecturers with wider society. There is a lack of societal awareness in relation to the potential benefits/limitations of AI, which lead to heightened risk, inertia and resistance. Governments and universities can work together to raise awareness about AI and using innovative methodologies that prioritise voice may be central to this. This paper prompts a non-confrontational approach that invokes open dialogue, transparency, participation, and knowledge-sharing which are central features of biographic methodologies.