Epsilon Archive for Student Projects

Abstract

Artificial intelligence has undeniably revolutionised the education system in recent years. The students of Environmental Communication and Management (ECM) at the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU) are also witnessing this widespread prevalence of artificial intelligence (AI) in their academic and professional lives. The multifaceted application of Artificial Intelligence in the education system has created concerns about academic integrity and resulted in challenging situations in the learning environment. The ECM programme students with diverse academic backgrounds and nationalities anticipated unique experiences regarding the implementation and applicability of AI. This study explored the contribution of AI to the learning environment and professional contexts of former ECM students. The study has been conducted by employing the theoretical and methodological underpinnings of Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA). The diverse and unique experiences of the study participants have been analysed and interpreted through this philosophical approach. Three Group Experiential Themes (GETs) emerged from the interview analysis, and every group theme consisted of three distinct Personal Experiential Themes (PETs). It emphasised the importance of prior knowledge and conventional learning methods for knowledge construction and developing a comprehensive understanding of Environmental Communication (EC) contexts instead of relying solely on AI. They prioritised the limited application of AI in the academic environment and concentrated on critical thinking and careful consideration before integrating it to accomplish academic tasks and assignments. However, they acknowledged the emergence of AI in their professional spheres and anticipated its unavoidable presence in all aspects of life. The diverse experiences and viewpoints of the former students may add value to the ECM programme concerning the future application of AI in collaborative learning. Thus, the findings of this study provide the students' perspectives regarding the ethical implementation of AI, which may contribute to enhancing the learning experiences of the new ECM students and highlight the prospects and challenges for EC practitioners in the presence of this advanced technological feature.