Reflection-AI: exploring the challenges and opportunities of artificial intelligence in higher education

A rigorous debate is underway regarding the use of artificial intelligence (AI) in higher education. Risk perceptions regarding AI range from concerns about students using AI inappropriately and unethically to teachers and teaching assistants being replaced by AI robots. This essay situates the disc...

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Main Author: Deanna D. Sellnow
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Frontiers Media S.A. 2025-06-01
Series:Frontiers in Communication
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fcomm.2025.1615040/full
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author Deanna D. Sellnow
author_facet Deanna D. Sellnow
author_sort Deanna D. Sellnow
collection DOAJ
description A rigorous debate is underway regarding the use of artificial intelligence (AI) in higher education. Risk perceptions regarding AI range from concerns about students using AI inappropriately and unethically to teachers and teaching assistants being replaced by AI robots. This essay situates the discussion around AI historically to mitigate such fears and propose workable strategies for integrating it into the educational experience. In other words, I place AI within the frame of other new technologies that have been introduced, scrutinized, studied, and adopted throughout history (e.g., textbooks, calculators, personal computers and word processors, Internet and online learning). Ultimately, I argue that we ought to embrace the challenges posed as opportunities to again conduct theoretically driven empirical research to inform best practices for integrating AI into teaching and assessment in ways that improve learning and the environment for learning. By incorporating AI with integrity, teachers could be freed to do more deep teaching and to engage in more intellectually stimulating dialogue with students, each of which are designed to foster higher order critical thinking and analysis skills among students.
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spelling doaj-art-c121f1a918aa4b8ebe97c8c4a08693e12025-08-20T03:07:20ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Communication2297-900X2025-06-011010.3389/fcomm.2025.16150401615040Reflection-AI: exploring the challenges and opportunities of artificial intelligence in higher educationDeanna D. SellnowA rigorous debate is underway regarding the use of artificial intelligence (AI) in higher education. Risk perceptions regarding AI range from concerns about students using AI inappropriately and unethically to teachers and teaching assistants being replaced by AI robots. This essay situates the discussion around AI historically to mitigate such fears and propose workable strategies for integrating it into the educational experience. In other words, I place AI within the frame of other new technologies that have been introduced, scrutinized, studied, and adopted throughout history (e.g., textbooks, calculators, personal computers and word processors, Internet and online learning). Ultimately, I argue that we ought to embrace the challenges posed as opportunities to again conduct theoretically driven empirical research to inform best practices for integrating AI into teaching and assessment in ways that improve learning and the environment for learning. By incorporating AI with integrity, teachers could be freed to do more deep teaching and to engage in more intellectually stimulating dialogue with students, each of which are designed to foster higher order critical thinking and analysis skills among students.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fcomm.2025.1615040/fullartificial intelligencenew technologiesinstructional communicationrisk perceptionsteaching and learninghigher education pedagogy
spellingShingle Deanna D. Sellnow
Reflection-AI: exploring the challenges and opportunities of artificial intelligence in higher education
Frontiers in Communication
artificial intelligence
new technologies
instructional communication
risk perceptions
teaching and learning
higher education pedagogy
title Reflection-AI: exploring the challenges and opportunities of artificial intelligence in higher education
title_full Reflection-AI: exploring the challenges and opportunities of artificial intelligence in higher education
title_fullStr Reflection-AI: exploring the challenges and opportunities of artificial intelligence in higher education
title_full_unstemmed Reflection-AI: exploring the challenges and opportunities of artificial intelligence in higher education
title_short Reflection-AI: exploring the challenges and opportunities of artificial intelligence in higher education
title_sort reflection ai exploring the challenges and opportunities of artificial intelligence in higher education
topic artificial intelligence
new technologies
instructional communication
risk perceptions
teaching and learning
higher education pedagogy
url https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fcomm.2025.1615040/full
work_keys_str_mv AT deannadsellnow reflectionaiexploringthechallengesandopportunitiesofartificialintelligenceinhighereducation