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This post is part of our [work in] Progress series, an effort to share our preliminary findings on the impact of artificial intelligence in higher education to help the field move at the pace of technology.
Research on the student use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) continues to show rapid adoption of AI within educational contexts. While not universal, some reports show that as many as 86% of students are using AI in their learning. A sizable number of faculty believe AI will have a positive impact on faculty experience — although not a majority — indicating warming acceptance of AI among important educational stakeholders.
The increased use and improved attitudes toward AI all point to a nearly inevitable education future in which AI will be a part. With that understanding, the question surrounding AI shifts from whether or not students should be allowed to use AI at their academic institutions to how students can be supported in using AI to enhance their learning and experience within appropriate and ethical guardrails.
As part of our research efforts with Western Governors University (WGU), our parent organization, we explored students’ current uses of AI in learning within an Introduction to Programming in Python course. Eighteen students were given free access to a premium ChatGPT model, which featured custom GPTs trained on course content. Their use of ChatGPT was captured in bi-weekly surveys from all students, as well as interviews with three students at the end of the two-month pilot period. Through this research, we found that students used AI for different purposes to support their learning, depending on their specific goals.
These purposes — used frequently and interchangeably — highlight related but distinct ways in which students use AI strategically, representing opportunities for further support from educational institutions.
Three student purposes for using AI in learning
AI as a reference
Students often turned to AI for a quick download of information, similar to the way they would turn to a dictionary, textbook, or internet search. Some students used AI to review examples for completing a task or to find a solution or partial solution to a problem. By using these examples and whole or partial answers, students gained access to a model of a potential solution and could identify the needed steps to arrive at a solution.
Examples of prompts students used with this approach included:
- “What does this concept mean?”
- “Give me three examples of this task.”
- “Solve this problem for me.”
AI as an instructor
Beyond getting a quick answer to a question, students used AI as an on-demand instructor to explain concepts, assess knowledge, troubleshoot errors, or optimize strategies for completing a task. Using AI in this way, students received support to increase their knowledge or understanding of the content or the target skill.
Examples of prompts students used with this approach included:
- “Explain this concept in plain language.”
- “Why am I getting this error?”
- “Is there a better way to do this?”
AI as a coach
Similar to using AI as an instructor, students sought guidance and coaching from AI on course-related concepts. However, the student’s objective in using AI as a coach was to improve their learning experience and learning process by moving beyond moments of mental frustration. Often, these moments occurred when a student felt a task was too complex or when they lacked sufficient background knowledge to know how to begin or continue with a difficult task. In this way, AI was used as a resource for hints and suggestions, nudging students beyond the moment of difficulty to improve their overall experience in the course.
Examples of prompts students used with this approach included:
- “How should I start this problem?”
- “Break down this problem for me.”
- “Give me a hint for this problem.”
When students did not use AI
Among the surprising findings in this study was when and why students chose not to use AI. Many students placed self-imposed guardrails around their use of AI, using it when they needed support but discontinuing use when they perceived AI as being “too helpful.” Some students reported that knowing that they would not be able to use AI on the final course assessment caused them to limit their use of AI to ensure that they were confident in the task unaided by AI technology. Other students noted that within a competency-based education model that prioritized industry-aligned skills, relying too heavily on AI might negatively impact their learning and ultimate career readiness.
Why this matters for educational leaders
Since the public launch of ChatGPT and other AI technologies in late 2022 and early 2023, educational leaders have struggled to determine and maintain defensible institutional policies on educational AI use. The delicate balancing act between preparing students for an AI-powered workforce while mitigating the academic, social, economic, and environmental risks of AI use and misuse makes it challenging for educational leaders to navigate this ever-evolving technology.
While these concerns are well-documented and important to consider, this research details why educational leaders should consider embracing AI within their educational contexts. Despite rampant fears of cheating, students are finding ways to use AI appropriately to support and enhance — not shortcut — their learning and experience. Properly trained and implemented, AI has the potential to overcome significant and expansive gaps in student support that are otherwise untenable to overcome. Students are already using AI and are likely to continue using it in the future — with or without institutional support. To set students up for success, institutions should provide structured guidance and support on using AI to enhance their learning.
