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Overview:

Generative AI is transforming higher education in a range of subtle and not so subtle ways. There are some AI systems that seem to support inclusion, for example, Grammarly but there is evidence that AI also has more deleterious effects on the development of inclusive approaches to education.

This roundtable series is an opportunity to explore the experiences and emerging research specifically in relation to AI and inclusion. This series will take a broad view of inclusion covering both protected characteristics and the wider panoply of issues identified in institutional EORRs. We aims to develop shared understanding of the potential and limitations of AI in terms of developing inclusivity in education (at pedagogical and curricula levels).

Abstract: 

A recent Times Higher Education (THE) report (2024) highlights a ‘dramatic rise in AI-related misconduct’ across Russell Group universities, with significant discrepancies in detection and reporting rates. In this presentation, we argue that the prohibition of Generative AI and the reliance on AI detection tools such as Turnitin are not only procedurally unfair but also risk being discriminatory (Myers, 2023). Furthermore, such approaches may discourage both students and educators from exploring the inclusive and pedagogically beneficial applications of these technologies.

We will discuss the development of the LSBU Generative AI Guidance for students and our integration of Generative AI into our teaching practice. Our approach focuses on equipping students with the skills to use GenAI tools responsibly and effectively for research, academic planning, critical analysis of academic articles and primary sources, receiving feedback on their writing, and refining their work.

Additionally, we will introduce a custom GPT-powered tutor tool designed to give students feedback on their draft coursework. We will conclude with a brief evaluation of OpenAI's newly introduced research feature, ‘Deep Research’ (OpenAI, 2025), considering its potential implications for higher education.

Speaker bios

Lucia Otoyo: I am an Associate Professor and a Deputy Head of the Computer Science and Informatics Division in the School of Engineering. I joined LSBU in 2013 while working in the industry as a co-director of a Software Development company QuizSlides Ltd. I teach Computer Science and Informatics subjects, with a specialism in Project Management. My experience from working in the industry for the past ten years as a company co-director, project manager and software tester has strongly influenced and informed my teaching. It has enabled me to design teaching with the latest industry practices, tools and techniques in mind. I am also a Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy, and one of my research interests is in the area of Law & Technology. My law colleague Andy Unger and I set up a joint Law & Technology module in 2018. Since then we have co-authored two book chapters and delivered presentations at numerous conferences sharing the practices and experience in the area of Law and Technology and our shared LawTech module.

Andy Unger: My main academic and professional interests relate to legal education, law & technology, access to justice and international human rights strategy. I am a Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy and have a lifelong interest in legal education, particularly in clinical and experiential legal education. I have led the development of our LLB and LLM courses, including the establishment of our Legal Advice Clinic and our responses to the new Solicitors Qualifying Examination. I have recently developed an interest in the impact of technology on access to justice, legal services and careers in law and have begun teaching a collaborative and practical Law & Technology course in collaboration with the Computer Sciences Division at LSBU. As well as teaching, we are currently exploring the likely impact of generative AI on teaching, learning and assessment in higher education.