📅 Dates: January 13 & February 3, 2025
📍 Location: Polytechnic of Porto
👥 Participants: 44 total (16 professors from Polytechnic of Porto, 15 from the Federal Institute of Manaus, Brazil, and 13 external experts)
As part of the EmpowerAI project, the Polytechnic of Porto hosted a two-session focus group engaging professors from the Federal Institute of Manaus, Brazil, and faculty from the School of Engineering at Polytechnic of Porto. The discussions aimed to assess AI’s ethical implications in academia and explore its impact on academic integrity, skill development, and equitable access to education.
Key Findings from the Discussion
🔹 Academic Honesty & AI in Education
Participants reflected on AI’s role in student learning and assessment, debating its potential benefits and risks. The discussion highlighted concerns over AI-generated content and plagiarism detection, emphasizing the need for institutional policies to guide responsible AI use while preserving academic honesty.
🔹 Enhancing the Quality of Education
The focus group examined how AI could be leveraged to improve student engagement and skill development. Professors from both institutions discussed strategies for integrating AI tools into teaching practices without compromising critical thinking and problem-solving skills.
🔹 Fostering Personal Responsibility in AI Usage
A major takeaway was the need to instill ethical AI literacy among students, ensuring they understand AI’s capabilities, limitations, and ethical considerations. Faculty members emphasized the importance of teaching students to use AI responsibly rather than relying on it as a substitute for learning.
🔹 Equity in AI Adoption
Ensuring fair access to AI resources across different regions, disciplines, and socioeconomic backgrounds emerged as a critical topic. Professors from both Brazil and Portugal discussed strategies to bridge digital divides and promote inclusive AI-enhanced education.
Conclusion & Next Steps
The discussions reinforced the need for collaborative efforts in developing AI literacy programs, ethical guidelines, and institutional policies that ensure AI is used fairly and effectively in education. The insights from this focus group will contribute to the EmpowerAI project's broader mission of responsible AI adoption in higher education.