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Torrey Trust, College of Education professor of learning technology, recently co-authored an article on the sustainable and responsible integration of artificial intelligence (AI) in open educational resources (OER).

Published in the open-access journal MIT Open Learning, the article “Judicious AI Use to Improve Existing OER” explores how AI can be effectively leveraged to enhance existing OER and improve educational outcomes. Trust, along with co-authors Royce Kimmons of Brigham Young University and George Veletsianos of Royal Roads University, argue that while AI has the potential to revolutionize education, its use must be thoughtful and judicious. 

The article highlights the importance of maintaining equity, accessibility and the integrity of educational content when employing AI tools. By using AI to personalize learning experiences, adapt materials to diverse student needs and improve content quality, educators can offer more engaging and effective resources to learners. The article also offers practical insights for educators, administrators and policymakers to ensure that AI is integrated into OER in ways that prioritize both innovation and ethical responsibility. 

The research emphasizes that AI should be seen as a tool to augment, rather than replace human effort in creating and using OER. With proper safeguards in place, the authors argue that AI can enhance the value of OER by increasing efficiency, supporting diverse learning styles and enabling continuous improvements to the educational material.

The complete article can be read on the MIT Open Learning website.