Enhancing Higher Education through AI: Faculty Perspectives on the Role of University-Provided Workshops and Training in Integrating AI Tools for Teaching, Assessment, and Feedback

This paper examines the role of university-provided workshops and training in facilitating the integration of artificial intelligence (AI) tools for teaching, assessment, and feedback from the perspectives of faculty members. With AI becoming a transformative force in higher education, it is crucial to understand how faculty members perceive the effectiveness of university-led initiatives in supporting the adoption of AI technologies. The study utilized a mixed-methods approach, combining a quantitative survey and qualitative focus groups to gather insights. A total of 116 female faculty members from the Applied College, Princess Nourah bint Abdulrahman University (PNU), participated in the survey, with data analyzed through both quantitative and qualitative methods. The quantitative analysis focused on measuring faculty satisfaction with the AI-related workshops and training sessions provided by PNU. It explored how these initiatives influenced faculty confidence, engagement, and competence in using AI tools in the classroom. The qualitative data, derived from focus group discussions, provided deeper insights into faculty members’ experiences, challenges, and perceived benefits of incorporating AI in their teaching practices. Key themes included the need for more tailored, discipline-specific training, the importance of ongoing support, and concerns about the ethical implications of AI in education. Findings suggest that while faculty members acknowledged the value of AI in enhancing teaching and assessment, there was a strong demand for more comprehensive, continuous professional development to ensure successful integration. The paper recommends that universities invest in more robust AI training programs that are adaptive to the evolving needs of faculty and aligned with ethical standards, which would eventually ensure the successful and responsible integration of AI in higher education.