Source
N-TUTORR National Digital Leadership Network (NDLN) – Professor Mairéad Pratschke
Summary
This report examines how generative AI (GAI) is transforming higher education, presenting both opportunities and risks. It highlights three main areas: the impact of GAI on current teaching, assessment, and learner-centred practice; the development of emerging AI pedagogy, international best practice, and early research findings; and the broader context of digital transformation, regulation, and future skills. The analysis stresses that while GAI can enhance accessibility, personalisation, and engagement, it also raises critical concerns around academic integrity, bias, equity, and sustainability.
The report positions GAI as a general-purpose technology akin to the internet or electricity, reshaping the nature of knowledge and collaboration in higher education. It calls for institutional leaders to align AI adoption with sectoral values such as inclusion, integrity, and social responsibility, while also addressing infrastructure gaps, staff training, and regulatory compliance. To be effective, GAI use must be pedagogically aligned, ethically grounded, and strategically supported. The future success of higher education depends on preparing students not just to use AI, but to work with it critically, creatively, and responsibly.
Key Points
- GAI challenges academic integrity but also enables personalised learning at scale.
- Pedagogical alignment is essential: AI must support, not replace, learning processes.
- Early research warns of overreliance and “cognitive offloading” without human oversight.
- AI can widen inequities unless digital equity and inclusion are prioritised.
- Institutional strategy must balance efficiency with effectiveness in learning design.
- National and EU regulation (e.g., AI Act) set high standards for responsible AI use.
- Frontier AI models offer powerful capabilities but raise issues of bias and safety.
- Educators increasingly take on roles as AI tool designers and facilitators.
- Collaboration with industry is crucial for future career alignment and skills.
- Sustained investment in infrastructure, training, and AI literacy is required.
Conclusion
Generative AI represents a transformative force in higher education. Its integration offers significant potential to augment human learning and expand access, but only if guided by values-led leadership, pedagogical rigour, and robust governance. Institutions must act strategically, embedding AI literacy and ethical practice to ensure that this “new horizon” supports both student success and the future sustainability of higher education.
Keywords
URL
https://www.ndln.ie/teaching-and-learning-with-generative-ai
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