This blog is brought to you from Nayiri Keshishi (Senior Lecturer in Learning Development, University of Surrey) and Dustin Hosseini (Learning Innovation Officer at University of Glasgow and doctoral student in Education at University of Strathclyde).
Hello readers! Over the past six months, my colleague Dustin Hosseini and I have embarked on a thought-provoking journey, delving into the intricate connections between generative AI and the complex tapestry of gender, race, and ethnicity. Today, we’re thrilled to unveil our latest project: a comprehensive teaching resource aimed at fostering critical thinking and analysis concerning the underlying dynamics of generative AI.
Our resource, which comprises PowerPoint slides and accompanying worksheets, serves as a powerful educational tool designed to illuminate the often-overlooked intersections of racialized gender, race, and ethnicity within the realm of AI. Available for educators both within the UK and beyond, these materials are crafted to provoke meaningful discussions and reflections on how technology intersects with pivotal social issues.
For easy access, you can find our resource on LearnHigher: Generative AI: a problematic illustration of the intersections of racialized gender race and ethnicity.
Additionally, we are actively seeking feedback from both student participants and educators who have engaged with our workshop. Your insights are invaluable to us and will aid in refining and enhancing our resources, plus inform a future journal article. If you have a spare 5-10 minutes, we kindly invite you to share your thoughts through our online survey.
We’ve already had a colleague from The Glasgow School of Art comment, “I just want to say how useful I’ve found your resource and how pleased I am that it’s now widely accessible”.
In a world where technology permeates every aspect of our lives, it is imperative to critically examine its impact on society, particularly concerning issues as salient as gender and race. Our educational resource aims to empower educators with the necessary tools to facilitate meaningful conversations surrounding these crucial topics, fostering a deeper understanding among students and learners alike.
Furthermore, we’re excited to announce that the original blog post has evolved into a pre-print publication, further solidifying our commitment to advancing discourse in this field. For those interested in exploring our research in greater depth, the pre-print is readily accessible via the following reference:
Hosseini, D. D. (2024, February 3). Generative AI: a problematic illustration of the intersections of racialized gender, race, ethnicity. https://doi.org/10.31219/osf.io/987ra
Thank you for embarking on this journey with us and for your support of this vital work. Together, let us continue to illuminate the multifaceted intersections of technology and society, paving the way for a more equitable and inclusive future.
Bios
Nayiri Keshishi, Senior Lecturer in Learning Development (University of Surrey): I have over nine years’ experience in the design, development and delivery of engaging learning programmes, focusing on academic and professional skills development. My research focuses on how higher education institutions are supporting students to develop the skills and qualities of the Inner Development Goals (IDG) framework, both in the curriculum and via co-curricular activities. These include self-awareness, empathy, communication, intercultural competence and creativity.
Dustin Hosseini, Learning Innovation Officer (University of Glasgow) and Doctoral student in Education (University of Strathclyde): I have been teaching since 2005 and have worked in higher education since 2010 in various roles that have transcended teaching EFL and English for academic purposes, learning development, digital education and online/distance learning and coaching/mentoring/developing academics’ teaching repertoire with respect to blended/online learning and curriculum mapping. My academic interests lie in academic, digital and critical media literacies and decolonial thinking and its applications to (higher) education practices. Critical friendship is a key part of my teaching repertoire.
