Longitudinal Study Tracks Normalisation of AI in Higher Education, 2024-2026
A longitudinal study at Ulster University surveyed 1,665 participants across three waves (2024-2026) to track changing perceptions of AI in higher education. The study found that students rapidly normalised AI use, shifting from tentative experimentation to routine engagement, while staff maintained persistent concerns about academic integrity, assessment design, and critical thinking. Doctoral and non-teaching staff showed intermediate attitudes, and the gap between student and staff perceptions widened as institutional policy lagged behind actual practice.
Why it matters: This study provides real-time evidence of evolving AI attitudes in higher education, underscoring the need for adaptive institutional policies and targeted AI literacy initiatives.
Full story at: arXiv Computers and Society ↗