Editorial

Citation

Wu, Z. (2024), "Editorial", Journal of Research in Innovative Teaching & Learning, Vol. 17 No. 3, pp. 418-419. https://doi.org/10.1108/JRIT-10-2024-196

I am excited to announce the official release of Issue 17.3 of JRIT&L. This issue contains the following content: emergency remote teaching (ERT) process, digital learning, a model for integrating microgames, restorative classroom, student think tanks and the culture-techno-contextual approach.

As the application of artificial intelligence (AI) gradually expands to all areas of society, including education, it is foreseeable that AI-driven education, along with the changes and challenges it brings, will have a transformative impact on the educational landscape. Analyzing the pros and cons of AI in the future of education – particularly in areas such as deep learning, academic integrity, the metaverse and the associated needs for teacher training and digital literacy – is crucial for addressing future challenges. Questions like the relationship between modern and traditional education, how AI can enhance human learning patterns, whether communication between humans and machines can replace human-to-human interaction and if the virtual world can substitute for the real world, are all important topics worth exploring and studying.

First, let us talk about deep learning. Deep learning is often misunderstood, mainly because we tend to confuse deep learning in technology with deep learning in pedagogy. In the context of AI, deep learning is a subset of machine learning and a method for training computers to process information similarly to how humans do. The model created by deep learning aids learning with human intervention by using algorithms to process data, enabling the model to recognize text, images or sounds for learning purposes. In education, deep learning can be viewed as a teaching approach that encourages students to fully understand a subject and apply their knowledge to real-world situations. Its features include students constructing relevant application problems, developing lifelong learning skills and assessing their ability to create, apply, synthesize and evaluate information. Further research is needed on deep learning, particularly regarding its impact on special education and its applications in higher education.

Second, let us talk about academic integrity. While academic integrity is an old topic, its challenges have become more prominent with the expansion of AI. Issues such as data falsification, plagiarism, invasion of privacy, the use of paper mills and even manipulation of the peer review process have gradually emerged. Considering these challenges, the boundaries of our policies on academic integrity seem unclear. In the era of AI, academic integrity remains crucial and addressing these challenges is essential to maintaining both academic standards and student success. To this end, we need to explore and discuss relevant guidelines, including how educators can appropriately use AI in teaching, how students may misuse AI to cheat and how teachers can address AI-related academic dishonesty. While there are products currently under development to address these concerns, the corresponding evaluation systems require improvement, particularly in terms of their validity and reliability. We look forward to further discussion and research on the issue of academic integrity.

Third, let us talk about the metaverse. While the metaverse is not a new concept, its essence lies in being a digital interactive environment that connects and interacts with the real world. This technology creates a bridge between the physical and virtual realms. As a result, the development of the metaverse could bring significant changes to education. This year, the journal published a special issue on the metaverse (issue 17.2). However, we hope to continue the discussion on the metaverse due to its growing importance. More attention and research are needed to explore how the metaverse enhances learning progress. We also hope that our research and discussions will extend beyond a single special issue, as the development and application of the metaverse will become even more profound and widespread.

Finally, let us talk about teacher training and digital literacy. These topics are fundamentally about teaching and learning. The challenge we face is the lack of a clear goal regarding how teachers should use AI in teaching. To implement AI-driven teaching effectively, we must focus not only on how to learn but also on how to teach. As the great educator John Dewey once said, “If we teach today’s students as we taught yesterday’s, we rob them of tomorrow.” This quote remains highly relevant today. For students, digital literacy has become a requirement for becoming qualified citizens. It is now a necessity for all learners to acquire not only the tech knowledge and skills required in modern society but also the ability to navigate the threats and security issues associated with digital technology. Unfortunately, some teachers, including those in higher education, seem unprepared for this shift, limiting their ability to fully integrate AI into their teaching practices. Therefore, enhancing educators' digital literacy skills and knowledge is essential. We look forward to further research and discussion on how to conduct effective training to promote digital literacy.

Looking to the future, we are facing a new educational landscape filled with both challenges and opportunities. It has become widely accepted that education must undergo reform due to the intervention of AI. A new vision of education centered on self-directed learning may be emerging, with the potential to transform teaching methods, the learning experience and even education management, thereby redefining the traditional education model. How should we respond to this? We hope the authors will conduct further research and exploration on these issues, particularly in teaching models. Regarding the impact of AI on education, we should not maintain a negative attitude but instead approach it positively, confronting challenges and exploring ways to ensure that AI contributes to educational development and human progress.