We all must engage with AI in a scholarly fashion: with curiosity about something that can speak like a human; with humility that many of our cherished ideas may indeed need to be revised; with caution that some technologies of the past have minimised our humanity and increased inequities; but finally, with the ambition that we can make AI speak to the better angels of our nature.
Professor Shitij Kapur, Vice-Chancellor & President of King’s College London
24 October 2023
New free course to help HE sector understand AI impact
Higher education (HE) professionals are being offered the opportunity to better understand the ways in which artificial intelligence (AI) is impacting the sector, thanks to a new free course developed by King’s.
Rapid developments in generative AI (such as ChatGPT) have meant significant implications for students, as well as academic and professional services staff. To address this, King’s has launched a new free online course that outlines the impact AI is having on what we study, how we study and how students are evaluated.
‘Generative AI in Higher Education’ is a specially designed course open to anyone with an interest in HE, including educators, professional services staff, management, policymakers and students.
Designed by King’s Academy – the centre for educational and learning development dedicated to supporting all staff and students in enhancing the teaching and learning environment within the University – and developed by King's Digital (the University’s dedicated distance learning support function), the course presents reflective, applied and speculative perspectives on generative AI in HE.
It is intended as a starting point for developing AI literacy, taking participants through foundational concepts and big debates and issues. The course also explores some of the applications of generative AI to teaching, learning and assessment practices.
Finally, it considers some of the key implications for student employability in a rapidly changing landscape.
Upon completion of the course, learners will be able to:
- Summarise how artificial intelligence and generative AI work, emulate human intelligence, and create novel content.
- Describe the key capabilities, limitations, challenges and opportunities of generative AI in higher education teaching, learning, feedback and assessment.
- Discuss the importance of considering social, ethical, inclusivity and sustainability dimensions while utilising generative AI in education.
- Explain the influence of generative AI on the employment landscape, including the emergence of new job roles, and the implications for disciplinary curricula of changing skill requirements.
The development of AI, and generative AI in particular, is not just a technological leap; it's a moment for us to pause and reconsider how we teach, learn, and assess in higher education.
Dr Martin Compton, Programme Lead for the new course
With a truly international reach, the ongoing delivery of this influential course will ensure that thousands of learners in the UK and around the world are able to better understand the ways in which artificial intelligence is impacting the university sector and what this means for the future of education. King’s Digital was delighted to play an important role in the design and development of this influential course, working closely with colleagues across King’s.
Nick Worthington, Executive Director of King's Digital
The new course is freely available online now. Find out more here.
In this story
Vice-Chancellor & President of King's College London
College Lead for AI and Innovation in Education and Programme, Module & Assessment Design Lead