Communication Educators Facing the Arrival of Generative Artificial Intelligence: Exploration in Mexico, Peru, and Spain

Abstract

This research explores university educators’ perspectives on the opportunities, concerns, and considerations associated with Generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI) in the training of professional communicators. Positioned at the early stages of ChatGPT’s integration into educational settings, the study examines teachers’ assignment instructions, assessments of ChatGPT’s responses, and reflections on these outcomes. Employing a cross-sectional, qualitative methodology, the research involves a sample of 22 teachers from communication faculties in Mexico, Peru, and Spain. Utilizing Bloom’s taxonomy and an inductive approach for data analysis, the findings unveil nuanced views on GenAI's role in teaching practice. Teachers perceive ChatGPT as a tool with varying impacts depending on its application. They articulate distinct roles for ChatGPT, viewing it as either an ally or a rival, prompting discussions on anthropomorphizing technologies and emphasizing the need to empower students in GenAI tool usage, establish ethical protocols, and reconsider assessment methods, among other key considerations.