Building on the success at UTS of our 2021 EdTech Ethics Consultation, and the 2023 AI Ethics Workshops — we’re back! This time, working with 3 other unis, doing a deep-dive into how you’re thinking about Generative AI, just over a year since ChatGPT exploded on the world. Now of course, there are many other apps out there, and generating more than text: including Gemini, Claude, Copilot, Midjourney, DALL-E…

Photo by Maxime VALCARCE on Unsplash

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You are invited to take part in this study.  Please read this Explanatory Statement in full before deciding whether or not to participate in this research. If you would like further information regarding any aspect of this project, you are encouraged to contact the researchers via the email address at the bottom of this document.

What does the research involve?

Artificial Intelligence applications are making a significant impact on Education. In this research we want to better understand university students’ experiences and attitudes to Artificial Intelligence. This will help us consider how to improve university courses, support services, and overall experience for students.

There are two parts of this research study. You have been invited to participate in either a focus group or survey.

1. Focus groups: The online (e.g. zoom) focus group will take approximately 1 hour. The focus group includes questions about your experiences and attitudes relating to your use and attitudes towards AI in relation to your education experience and aspirations. The focus group involves voice, Zoom chat and posts to a Padlet (an online space where uses post notes to a wall for comment by others). The Padlet can only be seen by members of the research team and the other participants of your focus group.
2. Anonymous survey: The online survey is anonymous and it is expected to take approximately 20 minutes to complete. The survey includes questions about your experiences and attitudes relating to your use and attitudes towards AI in relation to your education experience and aspirations.  If you choose to enter the prize draw at the end of the survey, you will be provided a link to a completely separate survey in which you can enter your email address. This ensures your main survey remains anonymous.

Why were you chosen for this research?

You are invited because you are a university student at one of the universities who are participating in this project (Monash University, University of Queensland, Deakin University, University of Technology Sydney).

Consenting to participate in the project and withdrawing from the research

If you wish to participate in the current research study, informed consent will be provided by agreeing to the consent form which is provided on the next page.

Withdrawing from the study:

1. Focus groups: You can withdraw from the focus group at any time. If you do not wish to participate or answer a particular question you can simply choose to not respond. If you wish to withdraw any of your responses you can do so up to 48 hours after the completion of the focus group. After that time the focus group will be transcribed, deidentified and become part of the pool of data for analysis. Zoom chat and Padlet posts and comments will also be deidentified and become part of the pool of data for analysis.
2. Survey: Since participation in the survey is anonymous, we are unable to withdraw your responses to the survey (because we would not know which response was yours). If you do not wish to participate in this study, please exit this survey link and no response will be collected from you.

Possible benefits and risks to participants

By participating in this research, you will be contributing to our understanding of students’ experiences with AI in education and thereby helping universities to consider if and how they could adapt courses, support services and other conditions to improve student experience and outcomes.

We do not expect anyone who participates in this research to experience distress or other adverse effects. If you have any questions or concerns, please do contact us via the details given below.

Participation in this research is voluntary. Participation or a lack of participation will have no impact on your performance or results, or contribute in any way to academic assessment.

Payment

We understand that taking part in research can be time consuming.  Therefore, we will offer the following ways of acknowledging your contribution:

1. Focus groups: each participant who completes the focus group will receive a $30 gift card.
2. Survey: you will have the option to enter into a prize draw for the chance to win one $350 online gift card (there is one gift card available for each of the participating universities). If you wish to enter the prize draw, at the end of the survey you will be redirected to another link to enter your contact details. Your contact details will not be linked to your survey responses and we will only use them for the limited purpose of contacting you if you win the prize draw.

Confidentiality

The data will be de-identified before reporting. This means we will not use any names or other identifying details when we publish or report on the research. However, as part of our reporting we will include quotes from participants, and with this in mind we encourage you to frame your comments so that they do not identify you or anyone else.

1. Focus group: your data will be deidentified before being analysed.
2. Survey: the survey is anonymous and no identifiable information will be collected.

Storage of data

All data will be stored in electronic format on secure file servers to which only designated project staff will have access. The data will be kept for a period of 7 years then deleted.

Results

Findings from this study will be shared with staff at the participating universities to help the continual improvement of student experiences. Additionally, findings may be published in scholarly form such as journal articles and book chapters, as well as presented at conferences and symposia.

Results will be available to participants in the form of summarised data and/or publications. Participants can request the results by contacting the researchers listed on this document by email.

Complaints

Should you have any concerns or complaints about the conduct of the project, you are welcome to contact the Executive Officer, Monash University Human Research Ethics Committee (MUHREC), Room 111, Chancellery Building D, 26 Sports Walk, Clayton Campus,  Research Office, Monash University, VIC 3800. Tel: +61 3 9905 2052. Email: muhrec@monash.edu. Fax: +61 3 9905 3831

Questions

If you would like further information regarding any aspect of this project, you are encouraged to contact the researchers via the email address at the bottom of this document.

Thank you,

The lead research team:

• Associate Professor Tim Fawns, Monash University, tim.fawns@monash.edu
• Associate Professor Ari Seligmann, Monash University, ari.seligmann@monash.edu
• Professor Michael Henderson, Monash University, michael.henderson@monash.edu
• Professor Margaret Bearman, Deakin University, Margaret.bearman@deakin.edu.au
• Associate Professor Trish McCluskey, Deakin University, trish.mccluskey@deakin.edu.au
• Professor Kelly Matthews, University of Queensland, k.matthews1@uq.edu.au
• Associate Professor Christine Slade, University of Queensland, c.slade@uq.edu.au
• Dr Aneesha Bakharia, University of Queensland, a.bakharia1@uq.edu.au
• Professor Simon Buckingham Shum, University of Technology Sydney, Simon.BuckinghamShum@uts.edu.au
• Associate Professor Jan McLean, University of Technology Sydney, Jan.McLean@uts.edu.au
  

This is an invitation to participate in a focus group exploring university students’ experiences with AI in education.

The focus group interview will be conducted online and take approximately 1 hour.

Upon completion of the focus group, you will receive a $30 gift card as a small recognition of the time you have given to us.

In order to participate in this research you need to be:

• an enrolled university student at one of the participating universities (Monash University, University of Queensland, Deakin University, University of Technology Sydney)
• 18 years of age or older

To find out more about the project please read the explanatory statement tab.

We’ll be running groups on Tues 26 March 10-11am, 12-1pm, 2-3pm, 4-5pm and Wed 27 March 2024 4-5pm

APPLY HERE on the Monash University website (one of our partners) to indicate your availability and provide us with background information that we use to sample a balanced mix of students.

We are looking for 20 undergraduate and postgraduate coursework students to participate. Participants are asked to have a working microphone and quiet location when on Zoom. Video is preferred but audio is more important.

We want to hear your voice on AI at UTS

6 Sept. 2024 update!

Complete a 20 minute survey to share your views on learning with Artificial Intelligence, helping us improve the student experience.

This completely anonymous survey is now open to all UTS students: 

I want to take the survey and enter the prize draw!

This research project is a joint effort between four universities: Monash University, University of Queensland, Deakin University and UTS.

The UTS team is:

Professor Simon Buckingham Shum (Director, Connected Intelligence Centre)

Associate Professor Jan McLean (Director, Teaching, Learning & Curriculum Unit)

Associate Professor Nicole Pepperell (Teaching, Learning & Curriculum Unit)

Dr Antonette Shibani (Senior Lecturer, Transdisciplinary School)

Dr Lisa-Angelique Lim (Lecturer, Connected Intelligence Centre)