In August, the Faculty of Humanities sponsored four staff members (Kayt Davies, Jo Li, Craig Sims, and Darren Bryant) to attend EduTECH Australia 2024, where critical discussions on AI’s integration into education took centre stage. Dr. Kayt Davies, a senior lecturer in journalism, offers her reflections on AI’s role in shaping future teaching practices and preparing students for its responsible use in the workforce.
As an instructor, Dr. Davies addresses the complexities of integrating AI in a field where human judgement, creativity, and ethics are at the core. She highlights the challenge: AI tools are evolving rapidly, but how can educators help students harness AI without sacrificing critical thinking? “Teaching journalism is about more than information gathering,” says Dr. Davies. “It’s about evaluating sources, understanding bias, and navigating ethical dilemmas—skills that cannot be outsourced to AI.”
Dr. Davies further contemplates how AI could be meaningfully incorporated into humanities education, offering new ways to engage with texts, but also raising concerns about the erosion of foundational skills. The importance, she emphasises, lies in striking a balance—leveraging AI to enrich learning while reinforcing the values of human inquiry and ethical reflection.
This perspective is not just limited to journalism but resonates across the humanities. As AI continues to shape industries, from media to education, Dr. Davies urges us to rethink how we prepare students not just to use AI but to question it and its implications critically.
AI offers exciting opportunities for education, but its integration must be thoughtful, particularly in fields like the humanities where critical thinking and ethics are essential. Dr. Davies’ reflections highlight the importance of teaching students not just to use AI but to engage with its broader societal impact.
If you’d like to know more details on the project, click here.
