AI in Online College Education

Artificial intelligence (AI) in online college education is everywhere. 

More than 86% of students surveyed by the Digital Education Council report using generative AI for coursework and studies in the past year (2024). 

AI is integrated into the online institution itself. It’s part of teaching and learning platforms, instructors leverage it for lessons and grading, and, of course, online college students increasingly use AI tools for their education. 

Tools like ChatGPT, Gemini, and Claude are available 24/7, offering students AI support for everything from brainstorming to proofreading and tutoring to generating citations. 

AI isn’t just a new factor in online college education — it’s causing widespread change at a pace that higher education has never seen before. 

Key Takeaways (TL;DR)

• AI helps to level the playing field for online learners, offering 24/7 support that enhances educational resources.
• AI has pros and cons in the classroom; educational advantages and benefits are clear when paired with transparency, and AI is used responsibly. 
• Clear institutional policies and tools are essential. Colleges must have transparent rules for AI usage and trusted AI detection tools to curb overreliance on AI tools. Academic integrity can be maintained when online college education providers mindfully integrate curriculum, policy, and AI tools. 

Benefits of AI for Online College Learning Platforms 

Online colleges are embedding AI directly into their learning platforms. AI systems are used for a number of functions:

• Adaptive teaching: Learning management systems (LMS) may automatically adjust course difficulty based on student performance to meet students where they learn best.
• Personalized learning: AI can tailor curriculum, assignments, and learning journeys to the needs, styles, and pace of individual learners.
• Enhanced accessibility: AI integration and tools help improve accessibility for students.
• Progress tracking: AI-powered analytics reflect student engagement, participation and comprehension, helping to identify trends.
• Automated 24/7 support: AI chatbots are available outside office hours, handling routine student inquiries.
• Plagiarism and AI detection tools: AI tools help foster transparency in the classroom regarding AI writing and plagiarism, including in online LMS systems, such as with the Originality.ai Moodle Plugin.
• Content creation and support: Instructors use AI to generate quiz questions, create personalized assignments, monitor online forums, and automate administrative tasks.

AI’s integration into the curriculum and monitoring of students allows for a more personalized learning experience and can free up instructors to focus on higher-level thinking and more complex guidance. 

Benefits of AI for Online College Students

AI tools offer welcome advantages for online learners who traditionally faced obstacles that on-campus students did not encounter. Without physical access to physical libraries, tutoring centers, and in-person office hours of their institutions, online college students faced challenges like isolation and limited resources for support.

AI tools changed this dynamic, levelling the playing field for online learners. Online college students now have access to:

• 24/7 academic support: Online students can access AI tutors and writing assistance, regardless of their time zone or work schedule.
• Personalized learning assistance: The AI tools of online college education (depending on the tool) can adapt and pivot to meet students at their level.
• Additional resources for research: AI tools offer a library-like experience, assisting with sources, citations, and research.
• Editing support: Grammar checkers, plagiarism checkers, and brainstorming tools help students produce higher-quality work.
• Instant feedback: AI tools can review a student’s work to offer preliminary insight on strengths, weaknesses, and mistakes.

For online college students, AI tools and the AI-integrations offered in online college education provide a higher level of personalized attention and resources than ever before.

Balancing AI and Academic Integrity

AI advancements in education enrich online student learning, but also bring questions and challenges for academic integrity. 

Generative AI’s ability to produce written text raises concerns about academic dishonesty and the negative impact on students’ critical thinking.

Colleges need to lead the way to help students know how and when to use AI tools: a study by Inside Higher Ed revealed that 31% of college students are unsure of their institution’s rules for AI usage. 

To create an environment where AI is transparently used and positively supports learning, online colleges must have clearly-defined policies on AI usage and employ trusted AI detection tools that can be integrated into LMS systems, like Originality.ai’s Moodle Plugin, to identify when students are improperly using or over-relying on AI tools. 

Pros and Cons of AI Tools in Online College Education

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Solutions and Best Practices for AI Use in Online Higher Education

In addition to teaching the curriculum, online educational institutions must also teach students how to use AI tools ethically, including how to cite AI and how to use AI for brainstorming and research — not for generating final submissions. 

Online faculty must also understand how to get the most out of AI instruction tools to streamline their workflow, personalize learning, and identify when a student is struggling — or relying on AI too heavily.

AI detection tools, like Originality.ai for educators, are designed to help institutions and their faculty quickly and accurately identify the presence of AI-generated content to maintain transparency in academia. 

Most online colleges recognize that the key lies in finding solutions that harness the power of these AI tools while maintaining academic integrity and fostering the human-to-human relationships crucial to education, even in online settings. 

Final Thoughts

AI is evolving rapidly, and higher education is adapting relatively quickly to keep up. 

Online higher learning institutions aim to support students with AI-powered tools while also maintaining the enduring academic standards that are the hallmarks of a valuable education.

By treating AI as a benefit rather than a threat, modern online colleges are enriching the online student experience and preparing students for new, AI-integrated careers. 

Read more about AI in education:

• ChatGPT Study Mode: Key Insights
• How Do Professors Check for AI?
• Do College Admissions Check for AI?
• Are Colleges Using AI Detectors?