Rather than viewing artificial intelligence as a threat to humanity and critical thinking, this presentation proposes a pedagogical redesign built on trust, innovation, and human-centered practice that prioritizes student agency and authentic learning experiences.

Drawing on current research conducted during Fall 2024 and Fall 2025 at a large R1 Hispanic-serving institution (n=667), we examined AI perceptions across traditional and non-traditional student populations. Results reveal nuanced perspectives: 48% view AI as equally harmful and beneficial, 30% see it as predominately beneficial, while 18% express concerns about potential risks. Students indicate higher comfort with AI in areas such as language support and technical analysis, alongside notable discomfort with surveillance and health-related applications.These findings reveal that students maintain firm boundaries around domains requiring trust, empathy, and human judgment.

Based on these research insights, we present practical implementation strategies including an innovative assignment-level and course-level AI policy that guides students into appropriate, thoughtful, and transparent AI use and disclosure. The presentation demonstrates how research-informed AI integration can balance concept mastery, critical thinking development, and real-world readiness as a way to center humanity in technology-enhanced learning environments through purposeful curriculum and policy design and evidence-based pedagogical approaches.

AI is a tool used by students all over the world. Conceptually, educators must approach student mastery of concepts and critical thinking, with the need to be ready for whatever is next in the real world. The key is effective, research-based AI integration, reviewing perceptions, purposeful policy design and redesign, and human-centered pedagogy.

Authors:
Danielle Pratt, University of Central Florida, United States
Devon Cadwell Bazata, University of Central Florida, United States

About the Presenter(s)
Dr. Devon Cadwell Bazata is Assessment Chair and Associate Lecturer in Interdisciplinary Studies at the University of Central Florida in Orlando, Florida (United States).

Connect on Linkedin
https://www.linkedin.com/in/prattphd/

Connect on ResearchGate
https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Devon-Cadwell-Bazata

Additional website of interest
https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=tWBfheUAAAAJ&hl=en

See this presentation on the full schedule – Thursday Schedule

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