The future of AI in online college education

Despite established caution and skepticism concerning artificial intelligence, AI and higher education go hand in hand. Why? Because AI in online college education provides tools that enhance both teaching and student engagement.

This technology comprises algorithms and models that enable machines to perform tasks that typically require human intelligence. In an online learning environment, AI analyzes student data, helps educators make informed decisions, adapts its algorithms based on student interactions, and much more.

About 57% of U.S. adults support the use of AI in classroom settings. Whether you’re one of them or among the skeptics, you’ll likely use AI to some degree while pursuing an online college education. To prepare, read on to learn about AI’s uses, its limitations and the ethical issues surrounding this technology.

Since AI technology has burst onto the scene, some college educators have approached it with enthusiasm, while others remain hesitant to utilize it. The reality is college educators can use this technology to transform online teaching in many ways.

Creating one hour’s worth of instructional materials for online college often takes several hours. The good news is that AI-based content creation and curation tools can save educators time and tedium.

Content creation tools such as ChatGPT use prompts and analyze vast amounts of data to generate output. For online college educators, these tools can analyze large datasets, create outlines and streamline long-form course module creation.

“Instructional designers and course developers can create assignments and other kinds of learning activities leveraging AI in that creation process, much like we see people using GPT as a productivity tool to help them, for instance, write a business or marketing plan.” Dr. Woods says.

College instructors must still grade assignments and provide feedback manually. However, AI grading tools such as Gradescope and Cognii can speed up the process by analyzing students’ answers to exam questions. Additionally, tools such as Turnitin can detect plagiarism on written assignments, provide feedback and help students improve their writing skills.

AI in online college education can automate grading and provide feedback to students. While these tools are particularly effective for objective questions, advancements in natural language processing are making it possible for AI to provide useful feedback on essays and other written assignments. 

Educators may soon be able to use AI tools such as LearnLM to tailor lesson sequences and ensure that instructional content is both relevant and engaging. These tools can also adapt to students’ needs in real time and offer additional support for those who may struggle with certain topics. 

AI in online college education can be used to adapt curricula specifically for job market demands. For example, there are tools that can personalize learning paths for students, help them acquire relevant skills for their chosen fields and bridge the gap between education and employment requirements.

One powerful application of higher education AI is its ability to identify at-risk students early in their academic journey. Tools such as Civitas Learning can analyze data on student engagement, performance and even login frequency. Additionally, it can flag students who may be struggling before traditional warning signs appear.

Once an AI tool identifies an at-risk student, it can help tailor interventions and provide personalized support outside of normal university hours. This might include recommending additional resources, suggesting study strategies or even adjusting course pacing to help students catch up.

Websites with sensitive personal, financial and healthcare data are often targeted by hackers. In fact, data violations due to cyberattacks on education websites have increased in the United States from 2020 to 2023.

AI systems, which require access to large amounts of student data to function effectively, can understandably give rise to concern about widespread use. Online colleges must ensure they have adequate data protection measures in place and are transparent about how student information is used.

AI systems are only as unbiased as the data they’re trained on and the people who design them. These systems could perpetuate or even exacerbate existing inequalities in education if not carefully monitored and adjusted.

For example, if an AI system is trained on data from predominantly affluent, urban students, it might struggle to accurately assess and support students from rural or lower-income backgrounds.

As AI tools become more sophisticated, it's becoming increasingly difficult to distinguish between original student work and AI-generated content. For example, a student might use ChatGPT or a similar content creation tool to generate an essay on a complex topic with just a few prompts.

Currently, only 13% of universities worldwide report having policies and guidance on the use of ChatGPT.

While AI can help streamline instructional design, grading and feedback, its use also calls for the need for transparency and accountability.

“AI detectors are not yet proven to be reliable and have been found to be implicitly biased,” Dr. Woods says.

Educators must find a balance between leveraging AI’s capabilities and applying human judgment to ensure decisions are ethical and in the best interest of students. 

According to Dr. Woods, preparing for the use of AI in online college education requires three key steps:

 “First, we recognize that it has potential, and we have a responsibility to teach with it as a productivity tool, and to also teach its ethical use by our students. Second, we need to recognize how quickly this technology is evolving, and as such what we do will need to constantly evolve as well.”

Colleges can accomplish this by implementing digital literacy into online college training (this is not the same as AI). Additionally, colleges should offer professional development opportunities that focus on incorporating AI tools into online instruction while preserving the integrity of traditional teaching methods.

Educators should also be aware of the potential drawbacks of AI. For example, AI poses a risk of “de-skilling,” when overreliance on it diminishes creativity, problem-solving and critical thinking skills.

Dr. Woods continues, “Third, we need to be constantly evaluating positive use cases for AI that can help our students, to test those, and to scale the tests that work as quickly as possible.”

As AI in online college education continues to transform the way we learn, it’s important to stay ahead of the curve. At University of Phoenix, online degree programs are designed to equip you with skills to prepare you for new opportunities.

Explore UOPX’s online technology program, in which you can deepen your understanding of AI in an online learning environment as part of the curriculum:

• Bachelor of Science in Computer Science: Develop core skills in programming and networking and gain a deeper understanding of AI and big data. Learn to apply computer science theory to real-world business challenges, including writing and presenting your app to your peers.

• Bachelor of Science in Data Science: Gain fundamental knowledge to analyze, manipulate and process datasets using statistical software. Learn extract, transform and load (ETL) processes for integrating datasets for business intelligence platforms. Discover techniques to transform structured and unstructured datasets into meaningful information to identify patterns and drive strategic decision making.

• Master of Science in Data Science: Learn to analyze, design and manage complex and unorganized datasets for businesses, and increase your leadership capabilities. Strategically apply data science to optimize functionality, scalability and system performance. Plus, gain career-relevant skills in topics like artificial intelligence, database administration, data warehousing, data visualization, machine learning, statistical analysis and more.

Ready to take the next step? Request more information today and prepare for your future.