A four-step process to embedding AI literacy in business courses

Students need to develop AI literacy, in order to critically and ethically engage with AI tools and prepare for the new world of work, as many recent Campus resources have argued. Danny Liu of the University of Sydney writes that we need to move on from detecting AI-generated content in assignments, to embrace its challenges and opportunities in our courses. However, only 37 per cent of academics use AI in their teaching, and mainly to inform students about academic integrity, according to a recent study.

• How to assess and enhance students’ AI literacy
• To demystify AI for your students, use performance
• Apply the principles of critical pedagogy to AI

We recently conducted a case study at the University of Adelaide, which showed how undergraduate students can develop AI critical literacy through the study of ethical theory and its importance in their chosen field of business, while modelling ethical use of AI. The approach was piloted in a core Year 1 Bachelor of Business course with 50 students majoring in accounting, business management, finance, law and marketing.

The four-phase model includes:

• A lecture and online resources on ethical theory (including an ethical decision-making framework)
• A tutorial with guided hands-on use of AI tools to explore current real-life case studies (the what, why and how)
• Supporting findings and arguments with current reputable media and academic resources
• A group presentation with Q&A on a selected case-study linking ethics in theory and practice.

Hold a lecture with online resources on ethical theory

Students attend a lecture on ethical theory. They access online resources covering deontological, rules- and values-based theoretical approaches, prior to a hands-on tutorial later in the week. The lecture and resources include an ethical decision-making framework.

Host a workshop to apply theory to current ethical issues

Review the theory: During the tutorial, briefly review ethical theory and the decision-making framework through whole class and group discussion. 

Build on existing knowledge: Ask students whether they are aware of any current case studies around ethics in business. This helps elicit and gauge individual and collective existing knowledge, in order to scaffold new knowledge. 

Although many Year 1 direct-entry students are considered high achievers academically, many admit that they do not follow current issues through reputable media outlets. Instead, they learn about the world more through social media platforms, family and friends. As a result, a majority of students were uninformed (more so than misinformed or disinformed) about current events, according to a recent Canadian study, though many did not recognise the fact.

Use of Co-Pilot: In a guided enquiry and discovery-based learning approach, students engage the assistance of Co-Pilot (available in the browser Edge) and use prompts to explore examples of current issues related to business ethics in a business context.

Students work individually, engaging in a Socratic dialogue, evaluating and curating AI responses and taking notes. 

A tutor – as “a human-in-the-loop” – can help students navigate this learning journey. Instead of giving out answers, the tutor can ask guided questions to stimulate critical thinking and refining prompts through this process. 

At the allocated time, students close their laptops and share and discuss what they had found with peers at their table, in a social constructivist approach.

Refine their topic focus: Each group then decides on a particular case study related to ethics in business to unpack and explore further. For example, ethics and social media platforms, disinformation and misinformation, portrayal of violent content, the law, finance, Indigenous rights, gender or climate issues. Students can select their topic based on their undergraduate specialisation.

In our case pilot study, whereas ChatGPT provided more detailed answers, at times advising to check current courses for the most up-to-date information, Co-Pilot provided less detail but gave links to current reputable media sources on the issue.

Learn from reputable current media sources

Next, students find current reputable resources on the case study they have explored in Co-Pilot. They critically evaluate their existing knowledge and views, and the responses from Co-Pilot, including potential bias in the media sources. 

The tutor again has a key role in guiding the students in a dialogic, enquiry and discovery-based learning approach.

Present as a group

Over a period of two to three weeks, the students work together in small groups to prepare and deliver a presentation. 

In their presentation, students explain what the issue is and how it relates to ethical theory. They also use the ethical decision-making framework to analyse the issue and make recommendations. A brief Q&A session follows the presentation to gauge the depth of student understanding and responses from the whole group.

Finally, students submit their group assignment with an evaluation of peer contributions and an individual reflection.

The above approach embeds the use of artificial intelligence tools into teaching, learning and assessment while raising awareness of ethical theory, its application in the use of AI as well as to their chosen field of business. By guiding students through a Socratic human-AI dialogic approach, tutors can enable students to develop AI literacy, critically evaluating AI tools, their existing knowledge and AI responses against reputable sources, as they apply knowledge of ethical theory and practice.

John Murphy is a learning designer and lecturer at the University of Adelaide.

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