Who talks about the future of learning? Examining media discourse of the inevitable GenAI in College teaching and learning (Stage 1, 4:08 PM)

• In Event: e-Lightning Ed-Talk Session 5 - Stage 1

Abstract

The rapid integration of generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) tools into college classrooms has sparked both enthusiasm and concern. While GenAI is promoted as enhancing instructional efficiency and personalized learning, it is also criticized for undermining academic integrity, teacher agency, and epistemic diversity. Drawing on frameworks of techno-determinism and ideology, this study explored ideological tensions in media discourses on GenAI and higher education pedagogy. Using comparative critical discourse analysis, I examined 38 media outlets published between 2023 and 2025. Across outlets, GenAI is positioned as an inevitable trend in higher education, with AI literacies framed as essential skillsets for students and faculty. This study unpacks how media discourses normalize technological ideologies and offers insights for more equitable AI integration.

Author

• Yilun Jiang, Michigan State University