Journal of Applied Learning and Teaching

Don’t believe the hype. AI myths and the need for a critical approach in higher education

2025-02-18T01:03:00-08:00

Our editorial critically interrogates the pervasive hype surrounding artificial intelligence (AI) and generative artificial intelligence (GAI) in higher education, dismantling eight entrenched myths that shape current discourse. We demonstrate that AI is not an inherently autonomous, intelligent, or objective entity but rather a product of human ingenuity, dependent on vast and often exploitative labour and data extraction practices. Contrary to claims that AI will automatically engender a more democratic, equal, and sustainable world, our analysis reveals that these technologies tend to exacerbate existing inequalities, environmental degradation, and labour precarity. Moreover, the belief that the United States exclusively dominates the AI arena is challenged by the rapid ascent of China. We also question the notion that AI will have a negligible impact on the job market, arguing instead that automation driven by GAI is reshaping work and deepening economic disparities.

In higher education, the purported revolution promised by Silicon Valley is undermined by its detrimental effects on academic integrity and the erosion of evidence-based pedagogical practices, compounded by the prevailing crisis of higher education. We contend that, amid this complex landscape, a critical re-evaluation of AI’s role is imperative. We call upon intellectuals in higher education to lead a transformative agenda—embedding critical AI literacy into curricula and institutional practices—to ensure that AI serves as a tool for enhancing human insight and social justice rather than perpetuating technological illusions.

Navigating digital transformations: Insights from eLFA 2023

2025-01-15T01:16:04-08:00

Prophets of progress: How do leading global agencies naturalize enchanted determinism surrounding artificial intelligence for education?

2025-01-13T18:03:40-08:00

The hype surrounding AI for education continues with no sign of dying down in the near term. Given the influence of UNESCO and OECD on national educational policies worldwide, this study examined how they frame artificial intelligence (AI) and how their discourse may affect the wider educational landscape. Drawing upon the theory of Critical Discourse Analysis, this study adopted a two-stage analysis method: framework analysis followed by directed qualitative content analysis. Four themes were identified, including the necessity of AI-driven educational transformation, imagined educational futures enabled by AI, challenges brought about by AI for education, and solutions and walkthroughs. They were critiqued using the schema of practical argument proposed for political discourse analysis which is composed of a Value premise, a Goal premise, a Circumstantial premise, a Means–Goal premise and a Claim (or conclusion). Findings show that while admitting the existence of enormous uncertainties and challenges, UNESCO and OECD take for granted AI’s disruptiveness, inevitability, and potential to change education, its effect on the whole society for the better and its encouragement of the acceleration of AI for education. Possible ramifications of this framing on the ecology of education and beyond were then discussed. The article concludes by calling for a vigilant and critical approach to the AI narratives promoted by influential global agencies, arguing that the future of education depends on our ability to question, adapt and thoughtfully integrate technology without succumbing to unexamined inevitabilities or unwarranted optimism.

Flipped learning in action: Seven cases from Singapore’s Polytechnics

2025-01-13T15:48:29-08:00

Flipped learning reverses traditional direct instruction by having students complete homework before in-person classes. When supported by technology and data, flipped learning becomes a variant of blended learning, where blended learning refers to the integration of online and in-person learning experiences.

This paper highlights the sector-wide shift to flipped learning in Singapore’s Polytechnics. The intent of the shift is to provide opportunities to improve self-directed learning, a critical skill set for the workforce. The authors consider seven presentations of practitioners’ early studies of flipped learning in action, all of which were delivered at the e-Learning Forum Asia 2023 conference.

Key themes and takeaways from the seven presentations are considered, including the use of data and learning analytics to improve tailored support for self-directed learning, the value of learning-design models, examples of designing for social interaction during online asynchronous learning, to improve students’ confidence in learning and operational challenges such as the need for more time to implement quality flipped learning.

The authors conclude with lessons for fellow practitioners to improve the designs of their own flipped learning efforts.

Fostering educational innovations in the era of global digital futures with students as partners (SaP) - Agency of university students in the Asian context

2025-01-13T00:48:23-08:00

Most studies on Students as Partners (SaP) in the literature have been found to be western-centric, highlighting a significant lack of SaP studies in Asian countries. Higher education in Hong Kong is still developing its SaP practice. This article aims to address this gap by examining how student partnership fosters education innovation in the era of global digital futures, particularly through the Redesigning Student Learning Experience in Higher Education (RSLEIHE) project scheme in the recent years in Hong Kong.

Believing that meaningful and impactful student partnership relies on the student agency developed during the projects, this study discusses factors facilitating student agency development through SaP projects of the RSLEIHE scheme in an age of digital futures. The two-stage research design (including student responses on a quantitative survey and a ranking task) allowed for a comprehensive exploration of student perception of student agency levels among a diverse cohort of participants from local universities in Hong Kong.

The findings revealed interesting patterns and variations in student agency across different demographic factors such as gender, level of study and academic disciplines. Notably, graduate students exhibited higher levels of agency compared with undergraduate students, while female students perceived significantly more peer support. Overall, this study emphasises the significance of support systems, trust-building, and opportunities for students to make choices in shaping the student experience.

Rethinking online assessments for adult learners: Exploring synchronous group presentations

2025-01-12T23:40:30-08:00

This study explores the shift from written assignments to synchronous group presentations in a fully online marketing course at a Singapore institution for adult, part-time learners. The change, implemented in mid-2023, aimed to enhance engagement, develop essential skills, and address academic integrity issues arising from AI-generated content. Employing the Community of Inquiry framework which emphasises cognitive, social, and teaching presence, the pilot’s effectiveness was assessed through mixed-method surveys involving both students and instructors. Despite perennial groupwork challenges such as scheduling conflicts and participation issues, the findings indicate that synchronous group presentations enhanced engagement and essential skills development in the digital age. The paper recommends incorporating asynchronous elements and additional support to optimise online group presentations. Although this is a small-scale study, its findings offer valuable insights for educators and institutions striving to enhance learning outcomes and mitigate overreliance on generative AI in assessments.