Enterprising Academics: Heterarchical Policy Networks for Artificial Intelligence in British Higher Education
Purpose There is limited scholarship on artificial intelligence (AI) in higher education governance, despite the growing prevalence of AI-powered technologies in many fields, including education. However, as the technology is still nascent and has yet to reach its full potential, ideas and arguments...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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SAGE Publishing
2023-11-01
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| Series: | ECNU Review of Education |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1177/20965311221143798 |
| _version_ | 1827686103761551360 |
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| author | Dániel Béla Gellai |
| author_facet | Dániel Béla Gellai |
| author_sort | Dániel Béla Gellai |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Purpose There is limited scholarship on artificial intelligence (AI) in higher education governance, despite the growing prevalence of AI-powered technologies in many fields, including education. However, as the technology is still nascent and has yet to reach its full potential, ideas and arguments abound, championing or cautioning against the use of these technologies. Design/Approach/Methods To fill this gap in research on policy networks and AI in British higher education, this article employs network ethnography and discourse analysis to study how ideas about AI-powered technologies in higher education circulate in policy networks in the United Kingdom. Findings The findings evidence a policy network showing signs of a heterarchy permeated by neoliberal rationales and populated by policy actors actively promoting artificial intelligence technologies to be used in education. Originality/Value This paper builds on existing research by looking at the university and not-for-profit sectors, in addition to the governmental and educational technology sectors. Using network ethnography, this article expands our understanding of the policy actors involved and critically analyzes ideas regarding the use of AI in education. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T09:03:43Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-d12ceb0c81aa49f9950dd2def50dd8e7 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2096-5311 2632-1742 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T09:03:43Z |
| publishDate | 2023-11-01 |
| publisher | SAGE Publishing |
| record_format | Article |
| series | ECNU Review of Education |
| spelling | doaj.art-d12ceb0c81aa49f9950dd2def50dd8e72023-11-22T06:33:45ZengSAGE PublishingECNU Review of Education2096-53112632-17422023-11-01610.1177/20965311221143798Enterprising Academics: Heterarchical Policy Networks for Artificial Intelligence in British Higher EducationDániel Béla GellaiPurpose There is limited scholarship on artificial intelligence (AI) in higher education governance, despite the growing prevalence of AI-powered technologies in many fields, including education. However, as the technology is still nascent and has yet to reach its full potential, ideas and arguments abound, championing or cautioning against the use of these technologies. Design/Approach/Methods To fill this gap in research on policy networks and AI in British higher education, this article employs network ethnography and discourse analysis to study how ideas about AI-powered technologies in higher education circulate in policy networks in the United Kingdom. Findings The findings evidence a policy network showing signs of a heterarchy permeated by neoliberal rationales and populated by policy actors actively promoting artificial intelligence technologies to be used in education. Originality/Value This paper builds on existing research by looking at the university and not-for-profit sectors, in addition to the governmental and educational technology sectors. Using network ethnography, this article expands our understanding of the policy actors involved and critically analyzes ideas regarding the use of AI in education.https://doi.org/10.1177/20965311221143798 |
| spellingShingle | Dániel Béla Gellai Enterprising Academics: Heterarchical Policy Networks for Artificial Intelligence in British Higher Education ECNU Review of Education |
| title | Enterprising Academics: Heterarchical Policy Networks for Artificial Intelligence in British Higher Education |
| title_full | Enterprising Academics: Heterarchical Policy Networks for Artificial Intelligence in British Higher Education |
| title_fullStr | Enterprising Academics: Heterarchical Policy Networks for Artificial Intelligence in British Higher Education |
| title_full_unstemmed | Enterprising Academics: Heterarchical Policy Networks for Artificial Intelligence in British Higher Education |
| title_short | Enterprising Academics: Heterarchical Policy Networks for Artificial Intelligence in British Higher Education |
| title_sort | enterprising academics heterarchical policy networks for artificial intelligence in british higher education |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1177/20965311221143798 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT danielbelagellai enterprisingacademicsheterarchicalpolicynetworksforartificialintelligenceinbritishhighereducation |