From Users to Allies: Exploring Educator and Generative AI Roles in Shaping the Future of Higher Education

Abstract

This article articulates the nuanced challenges of integrating Generative AI (GenAI) into educational settings, aiming to dispel overly simplistic narratives driven by unwarranted enthusiasm or unfounded apprehensions. It introduces a conceptual framework for the application of GenAI within higher education, delineating four key strategies that leverage the dual roles of educators—as both creators and designers—while positioning GenAI as either a facilitative agent (creature) or a utilitarian tool. The identified strategies—Interactive Co-Creation, Adaptive Design, Learning Scaffold, and Efficient Structuring—underscore GenAI’s potential to revolutionize teaching methodologies by enabling personalized education, enhancing content quality, and expediting course development processes. Emphasizing GenAI’s capacity to cater to diverse student needs, simplify educational content creation, and foster engaging learning environments, the model provides educators with a roadmap for integrating GenAI into their instructional practices to harness the full potential of educational technology.