Embargo Period

11-24-2025

Degree Name

MA in International Education

First Advisor

Phoenix Kenney

Abstract

This study examines the perceptions and experiences of international education professionals regarding the integration of generative artificial intelligence (AI) in higher education. While AI offers new opportunities for enhancing learning, existing research highlights both potential benefits and ethical, environmental, and pedagogical concerns. Using a qualitative approach, this study explores how study abroad staff in the Claremont Consortium engage with and assess the implications of AI within international contexts. Guided by critical frameworks from Paulo Freire, the research situates AI within broader discussions of power, labor, and knowledge production. Findings indicate that sampled staff predominantly use AI for low-stakes tasks or exploratory purposes and express skepticism about deploying it for sensitive, student-related work due to concerns over privacy, academic integrity, and trustworthiness. Respondents highlighted the potential for AI to undermine critical thinking, creativity, and reflective learning if over-relied upon. Simultaneously, they recognized opportunities for AI to enhance workflow efficiency, information synthesis, and student preparation when thoughtfully applied. The study further underscores ambiguity regarding institutional responsibility for guiding AI adoption and establishing best practices. Overall, results suggest that the integration of generative AI in international education is shaped by a combination of personal discretion, institutional structures, and professional ethics. The study highlights the need for targeted guidance, training, and policy frameworks to ensure AI supports, rather than diminishes, critical learning and professional integrity.

Disciplines

Curriculum and Instruction | Educational Methods | Educational Technology | Higher Education | Higher Education Administration | Social and Philosophical Foundations of Education

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