Library, Museums and Press Staff
April 21, 2025

One Question, Many Voices: Are We Ready to Adapt AI in the Classroom?

by Mansi Gupta and Meg Grotti

 

In Fall 2024, graduate students from Dr. Mark Serva’s independent seminar posed a bold question to the University of Delaware Library, Museums and Press: “How can we bridge the growing gap between student and faculty experiences with generative AI tools in education?” 

The timing was perfect. Since 2023, the Library—through its partnership with the AI for Teaching and Learning Working Group—had been hosting a series of seminars exploring AI’s evolving role in higher education. This created the ideal platform for students to share their research and spark a candid, cross-generational conversation. 

In November 2024, nearly 100 faculty members, academic leaders and students came together for a hybrid panel discussion, facilitated by Mansi Gupta—a Master’s student in Business Analytics and Information Management and Data Analyst at JPMorgan Chase. The event offered an honest look at the opportunities, challenges and ethical complexities of integrating AI into teaching and learning. 

 

A Student-Led Research Effort 

Graduate students Mansi Gupta, Karan Kota Raju and Prachi Rao led the charge. As part of a collaborative course project on AI in higher education, they explored the rapid adoption of AI tools and their impact on learning. By engaging with UD’s AI for Teaching and Learning Working Group, they gathered insights from faculty, administrators and student leaders, aiming to understand how these tools are reshaping the classroom experience—for better and for worse. 

Their findings? Students are already using AI—extensively. Some rely on it to break down difficult concepts, others for coding assistance, and yes, some use it to complete assignments under pressure. As one student candidly admitted during the panel: “I used ChatGPT to finish an assignment, got a perfect score and told myself I’d come back to learn it later. But I never did.” This kind of usage highlights a major concern: AI can create the illusion of understanding without actual learning. However, most students aren’t using AI to cheat—they’re using it to cope with mounting academic stress and demands. 

 

When AI Becomes a Companion, Not a Crutch 

Not all students treat AI as a shortcut. Many use it as a personal tutor or 24/7 teaching assistant, asking questions like: 

  • “Explain this like I’m a 7-year-old.” 
  • “Break this down using a football example.” 
  • “Give me a study plan and quiz me to make sure I really get it.” 

This intentional use of AI can enhance learning, build confidence and prepare students for high-stakes, no-internet exams. As one panelist shared: “In-person, no-AI exams forced me to actually understand the material. They were harder—but I learned more.” The takeaway? It’s not about avoiding AI. It’s about using it wisely. 

 

Faculty Perspectives: Concerns and Opportunities 

Faculty members at the seminar voiced valid concerns about AI in the classroom: 

  • Will it erode academic integrity? 
  • Does it enable students to appear proficient without true understanding? 
  • Do instructors have time and resources to redesign entire courses? 

Yet not all faculty are resistant. Some are already testing new ways to integrate AI into teaching to boost engagement and deepen critical thinking. The event highlighted a need for ongoing collaboration and sharing of best practices across departments. 

 

Rethinking Assignments for an AI-Integrated Future 

To support this transition, the student researchers offered practical suggestions for reimagining traditional assignments: 

  • Instead of “Write a 1,500-word essay on AI ethics.” Try, “Start with your own ideas, use AI to refine, then critique how AI shaped your final work.” 
  • Instead of “Solve this set of coding problems.” Try, “Use AI for repetitive syntax—focus on debugging and explain what the AI missed and why.” 
  • Instead of “Submit a final research paper.” Try, “Submit your full process: drafts, AI-assisted edits, and your reflections on how AI supported or challenged your thinking.” 

 

A Call to Adapt—Together 

The challenge isn’t to ban AI from classrooms, but to teach students how to use it ethically, effectively and intentionally. Faculty, students and administrators must collaborate to create learning environments where both human and machine intelligence play a role. As one speaker put it: “AI isn’t replacing education. It’s redefining it. The question is—are we ready to adapt?” 

Faculty interested in exploring AI in their classrooms are encouraged to use the UD Library, Museums and Press AI Literacy Toolkit, which offers essential concepts and best practices to help students use AI responsibly. A recording of the panel discussion is available on the AI for Teaching and Learning Working Group’s website.