The project was driven by the rapid emergence and development of Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools, such as ChatGPT, and their impact on teaching, learning, assessment, and academic integrity. The project was focused on the dual challenge arising from AI advances witnessed within the last few years: the necessity of leveraging AI to enhance educational practices and but at the same time the need to address its impact on assessment and academic integrity. The approach of HEART projected needed to be (a) highly adaptable, due to rapid advances in AI technology, that required frequent updating of strategy and developed solutions to use of AI in assessment, (b) focused not only on negative aspects of AI for teaching and learning, but also on the potential benefits of using it in context of teaching and learning,  adopted was characterized, (c) community building and collaborative; it offered insights into how staff and students use AI and perceive its associated risk and benefits. Building trust between students and staff and engaging in productive discussions between different groups of UCD community was central to HEART project philosophy:  opinions of both students and staff were equally valued and considered. This approach fostered inclusivity and ensured that diverse perspectives shaped the recommendations and action plan.

The aim of the HEART project was to develop a set of recommendations based on the needs of educators and students in terms of use of AI in T&L at university level. We aimed to produce data, resources and tools to support educators and students in embracing the AI technology, and reflecting on its ethical and responsible use. We also wanted to produce suggestions regarding assessment strategies appropriate in the era of AI. In summary, the key and most immediate goal/change that we want to achieve through the HEART project was to stimulate engagement of both students and staff with AI tools in the context of teaching and learning. 

Importantly, students were always part of the project team and were actively engaged and consulted during all the activities associated with the project as well as during report writing, constantly directly and indirectly feeding their views into the approach taken at all stages of HEART.

Key strategies/methodologies specifically focused on student engagement as partners:

• We surveyed the SBES students and staff to find out the details of how frequently they use AI tools, in what context, how they perceive the impact of AI, both positive and negative, and to determine if there are any trends highlighting change in AI usage from year to year (we obtained satisfying response rate, 117 and 89 in 2023 and 2024 respectively)
• A collaborative brainstorming session strategy facilitated true partnership between students and staff, building mutual trust and productive discussions on how AI should be implemented in science education at university level.

We delivered a series of workshops during the SBES module on scientific/academic writing, which was very successful and resulted in high student engagement. We will keep this workshop as an annual module element to provoke student reflection on the use of AI in the context of scientific writing and in a broader sense, science education. 

Results

Outputs with short-/medium-term impact:

• An interactive flipbook resource (praised as useful by staff from UCD Science) in the form of videos prepared by staff and students was released early in the project to disseminate essential considerations related to the use of AI in the context of education.
• Survey and survey report: (a) Increased awareness and provoking reflection on AI use among students through survey and workshops (high level of engagement with surveys, positive comments received during the workshops and brainstorming sessions), (b) in-depth overview of how staff and students at different stages of education approach and perceive AI that can feed into teaching strategies within UCD.
• A series of easy-to-use exercises tested within the SBES for promoting staff engagement with AI in the context of T&L and estimation of vulnerability of assessment to AI-use with some solutions suggested.
• Development of interactive workshops for two modules, Scientific Writing for Biology (BIOL30040) and Scientific Communication (BIOL20060).

Outputs with potential long-term impact:

• A set of recommendations, generated in partnership with students at all levels, for ethical integration of AI into teaching and learning within UCD College of Science and beyond: including AI digital badge programme and creating UCD repository of examples of good practice of AI use. 

Resources

Flipbook available nationally: https://hub.teachingandlearning.ie/resource/heart-higher-education-and-artificial-intelligence-responsive-teaching/

A project report is available nationally: https://hub.teachingandlearning.ie/resource/heart-higher-education-and-artificial-intelligence-responsive-teaching-final-project-report-with-developed-resources/. The report is written in a way encouraging carrying out similar activities within other departments at UCD and beyond, which we consider essential for finding local solutions to local issues with the use of AI in education. It includes:

1. An executive summary of brainstorming session on use of AI in education held by students and staff
2. Findings from the staff and student survey highlighting trends in AI usage over two years, and perception of different aspects of AI use.
3. Updated ideas on how to keep your assessment AI-resilient
4. Ideas on how to promote staff engagement with AI-based tools, including templates for:
   • Reflection-promoting, rapid 3-question questionnaire for teaching staff that can be used to initiate dialogue on the assessment in the AI era
   • Mini workshop using individual modules as case studies for reflection on how changes to assessment in response to generative AI affected students' performance
   • case study of review of teaching strategies across different stages of UG education to assess the AI impact and vulnerabilities.