Just came across this model of six levels of automation for personalised learning (Molenaar, 2022).
But, even though Molenaar talks about transitioning control “between teacher, learner, and technology”, it’s clear from the figure that there is no concept of learner agency in the model. There’s no indication that students should have any level of control in how much AI is integrated into their learning.
You can see how the model falls apart when you ask how it works outside universities. Obviously, it doesn’t. How will students use AI when there is no teacher? Or when the teacher is AI?
This is the great blind spot of higher education; it doesn’t acknowledge a world where teachers are not in control.
I’d like to see a different model of AI in higher education, that emphasises student autonomy and agency, rather than the degree to which we should split control between the teacher and AI.
Note: I haven’t read the paper yet so there may be more nuance in the text that isn’t captured in the figure. The problem is, figures like this are what catch people’s attention on social media, and this is already being shared widely and uncritically.