Fostering or Foreclosing? Equity Considerations in AI Technology Integration

Afternoon Lunch Session 1:00-1:45 PM

Fostering or Foreclosing? Equity Considerations in AI Technology Integration

“Fostering or Foreclosing” explores approaches for the equitable integration of artificial intelligence systems in higher education, with particular attention to systemic barriers and inclusive practices across diverse populations. The presentation will feature an overview of current AI tools, examining their impact on teaching, research, and student work. We will discuss the existing digital divides and structural barriers that may limit equal access to these technologies.

 We'll explore the ethical dimensions of AI systems deployment, including algorithmic bias, language accessibility, and cultural competency. Issues surrounding academic integrity will be featured, including consideration of current methods for detecting AI misuse and the impacts on specific student groups. Mitigation strategies regarding academic misuse will also be addressed as an opportunity to rethink how we assess student learning.

The presence of this technology is perhaps best approached as an invitation for lifelong learning. The session will highlight the need for universal AI literacy skills across populations—for students, faculty, and staff alike. We will also trace the primacy of critical thinking in our interactions with these systems and interrogate the contexts from which they arose.

 This session will be discussion-based and designed to benefit administrators, faculty developers, instructional designers, and educators seeking to foster AI's potential while ensuring that we don’t foreclose our human capacities.

Learning Objectives

Participants in this session will explore:

• Intersections of AI integration and educational equity, examining how institutional approaches may reinforce or challenge existing barriers for diverse student populations.

• Ethical dimensions of AI systems in academic settings, including algorithmic bias, accessibility challenges, and cultural variations in the assessment landscape.

• Professional development approaches that balance technological literacy with critical humanistic inquiry across student, faculty, and staff experiences.