[Paper Review] Shaping Integrity: Why Generative Artificial Intelligence Does Not Have to Undermine Education

Myles Joshua Toledo Tan, Nicholle Mae Amor Tan Maravilla|arXiv (Cornell University)|Jul 26, 2024

Artificial Intelligence in Healthcare and EducationMedicine3 citations

TL;DR

This paper argues that generative AI (GAI) can enhance academic integrity in education when ethically integrated using established ethical and learning theories. By aligning GAI use with deontological ethics, consequentialism, constructivist learning, and Self-Determination Theory, the paper demonstrates that GAI supports personalized, intrinsically motivated learning while fostering digital literacy and ethical behavior, thus transforming GAI from a threat into a tool for integrity-driven education.

ABSTRACT

This paper examines the role of generative artificial intelligence (GAI) in promoting academic integrity within educational settings. It explores how AI can be ethically integrated into classrooms to enhance learning experiences, foster intrinsic motivation, and support voluntary behavior change among students. By analyzing established ethical frameworks and educational theories such as deontological ethics, consequentialism, constructivist learning, and Self-Determination Theory (SDT), the paper argues that GAI, when used responsibly, can enhance digital literacy, encourage genuine knowledge construction, and uphold ethical standards in education. This research highlights the potential of GAI to create enriching, personalized learning environments that prepare students to navigate the complexities of the modern world ethically and effectively.

Motivation & Objective

• To investigate how generative AI can be ethically integrated into educational settings without undermining academic integrity.
• To address growing concerns about AI misuse in student assessments and academic work.
• To explore the role of GAI in supporting intrinsic motivation and voluntary ethical behavior in learners.
• To examine how established educational theories and ethical frameworks can guide responsible GAI implementation in classrooms.
• To demonstrate that GAI, when properly guided, enhances digital literacy and promotes genuine knowledge construction.

Proposed method

• The paper applies deontological ethics to frame GAI use as a moral duty based on principles of honesty and fairness.
• It employs consequentialism to evaluate the long-term outcomes of GAI integration, emphasizing benefits like improved learning outcomes and ethical behavior.
• Constructivist learning theory is used to position GAI as a tool that supports active, student-driven knowledge construction.
• Self-Determination Theory (SDT) is applied to analyze how GAI can satisfy students’ needs for autonomy, competence, and relatedness, fostering intrinsic motivation.
• The authors synthesize insights from these frameworks to propose a pedagogical model for responsible GAI use in education.
• The approach emphasizes voluntary behavior change and ethical engagement over punitive enforcement.

Experimental results

Research questions

• RQ1 How can generative AI be ethically integrated into educational settings to support academic integrity?
• RQ2 In what ways can GAI enhance intrinsic motivation and voluntary ethical behavior in students?
• RQ3 How do established ethical frameworks like deontological ethics and consequentialism apply to GAI use in education?
• RQ4 To what extent can GAI support constructivist learning and digital literacy development?
• RQ5 How can Self-Determination Theory inform the design of GAI-integrated learning environments that promote autonomy and ethical engagement?

Key findings

• GAI, when guided by ethical frameworks, supports the development of digital literacy and responsible technology use among students.
• The integration of GAI aligns with constructivist principles by enabling personalized, interactive, and student-centered learning experiences.
• GAI use grounded in Self-Determination Theory enhances student motivation by satisfying core psychological needs for autonomy, competence, and relatedness.
• Ethical GAI integration fosters voluntary behavior change, reducing reliance on punitive measures to enforce academic integrity.
• The synthesis of ethical and educational theories demonstrates that GAI can be a force for ethical learning rather than academic misconduct.
• The paper concludes that GAI does not inherently undermine education; instead, it can be shaped to promote integrity when implemented with pedagogical and ethical intentionality.