One in four UK lecturers ‘now using AI tools in teaching’

Academics have said they are incorporating artificial intelligence into teaching practices but want greater support from their institutions to explore the potential benefits to education, a report says.

Just under a quarter (24 per cent) of teaching staff say they use AI tools in their teaching activities, a Jisc survey of 3,287 respondents from 33 UK higher education providers found.

However, some reported that they felt there was “a lack of guidance around using AI ethically and transparently” in teaching practices, and they therefore felt “uncomfortable” using AI-enabled platforms. 

The results highlight the growing tension in the sector on how to best incorporate AI into teaching and research, as students’ growing use of such technologies in assessments raises questions over how institutions can keep up.

Only 13 per cent of survey respondents said they had been provided with AI systems, chatbots or virtual assistants by their organisation, and under one in five (18 per cent) said they had been offered training in AI.

Academics reported they did not have the time to experiment with new technologies, and Dominic Walker, business intelligence and surveys consultant at Jisc, who wrote the survey report, said teaching staff “need the support of their organisations to make the most of digital teaching technologies”.

He said that the findings reinforce “the need to carve out time for support and to explore new digital tools that help efficiency and engagement” and the need for universities to provide “support for teaching staff and students”.

Many said they simply did not have the time to invest in professional development around digital skills, while others said that support or training was not offered or it was unclear where to find out about training.

Academics also spoke about the potential of AI to improve student support. They noted that AI assessment platforms are able to provide students with feedback in a timelier manner than they are able to, and that student information systems allow teaching staff to better track students’ progress across modules, and provide feedback or highlight where interventions might be needed. 

Overall, the majority (60 per cent) of lecturers felt the digital teaching environment offered by their institution was good, excellent or the “best imaginable” – a small decline on last year’s results, where 64 per cent of respondents gave these responses.

juliette.rowsell@timeshighereducation.com