USC Rossier Magazine: Fall/Winter 2023

Exploring artificial intelligence's impact on teaching and learning

Whenever a transformative technology emerges, it brings with it a mix of emotions: fear, hope, skepticism and excitement, to name a few. When ChatGPT was released in late 2022, the world was abuzz about its potential impact on every facet of the way we live, work, learn and educate. Just as many worried that the introduction of the pocket calculator would make math class irrelevant, many now fear that these new AI tools will render English class obsolete. But are these fears warranted? After all, math is still taught, even if students are now trained to use advanced calculators to solve difficult equations. And beyond these anxieties, what opportunities does AI present? How will teaching and learning evolve as the world inevitably embraces AI?

AI has the potential to be a force for good and efficiency—from helping teachers develop lesson plans to assisting school districts in rezoning projects. Yet, many of us don’t know how to use these new tools, and nearly 90% of educators reported to Education Week that they haven’t received any professional development on AI. On top of that, AI could exacerbate longstanding inequities in education—from who has access to it to how it will be used in college admissions.

Our faculty, alumni and students are already considering these big issues. This issue of USC Rossier Magazine explores our community’s research and engagement with a rapidly changing technology that just might reshape our world.