Technology

Ella Parker-Tam

AI, Accountability, and the University: Who Is Responsible for Student Learning?

A close-up portrait of a young woman with long, slightly messy auburn wavy hair. She has fair skin with a natural blush on her cheeks, bright green eyes, and a soft smile with red lipstick. She is wearing a blue and white small-checkered button-down shirt with some buttons undone, and small pearl drop earrings. The background is a plain light grey wall.

Driven by a commitment to transparency and trust, Ella aims to apply her research and writing experience to help institutions communicate clearly, ethically, and credibly. Ella will be joining AMETROS Learning Inc. as a Product Development intern in summer 2026 and will begin the MPC graduate program at TMU in the fall.

Generative AI is rapidly reshaping higher education, transforming how students access information, complete assessments, and demonstrate learning. While universities emphasize academic integrity and caution around AI use, students are increasingly integrating these tools into their everyday academic practices—often without clear institutional guidance. This creates a growing disconnect between how learning is formally structured and how it is actually taking place.

This research examines how leaders at Toronto Metropolitan University understand the university’s institutional responsibility in responding to AI’s impact on student learning. Guided by the question, “How do TMU leaders understand institutional responsibility in relation to AI and student learning?”, the study draws on qualitative interviews with university leaders and a content analysis of public-facing institutional websites.

Findings reveal that while AI is widely recognized as a disruptive force—particularly in relation to assessment integrity—there is no unified institutional approach to addressing its implications for learning. Institutional messaging often prioritizes risk mitigation and academic integrity, while placing the responsibility on students to navigate AI use independently. At the same time, leaders acknowledge the need for long-term adaptation, including shifts in curriculum, assessment design, and digital literacy development.

This gap between institutional messaging and student experience highlights a critical transition period for universities. Rather than treating AI solely as a threat, institutions have an opportunity to redefine their role in supporting student learning. Strengthening transparency, integrating AI literacy into curriculum, and fostering clearer communication between students and educators will be essential to maintaining trust, relevance, and the value of a university education in an AI-driven world.

Lightning Talk

Browse More Technology Research

More Projects

A close-up headshot of a young woman with medium-dark skin and long, dark brown hair parted down the middle. She has dark eyes, defined eyebrows, and is smiling softly with glossy pink lips. She wears a navy blue cable-knit sweater against a plain light gray background.

Zain Obeidat

How does the way artificial intelligence is talked about influence university students’ sense of their own importance and fears of being replaced in the future?
A close-up portrait of a light-skinned person with dark brown curly hair and bangs, brown eyes, and a light mustache. They have a silver horseshoe septum piercing and multiple silver hoop earrings in each ear. A gentle smile is on their face, and they are wearing a charcoal-striped button-up shirt against a blurred, mottled background.

Patrick Elo

Beyond the Experience: Designing Audience Experience in Cultural Organizations
A well-lit studio headshot of a young woman looking directly at the camera with a subtle smile. She has light skin with a healthy glow, striking light blue eyes, full eyebrows, and glossy pink lips. Her long, straight, medium-brown hair with lighter auburn streaks is parted in the middle and frames her face, falling over the shoulders of her black ribbed top and a visible light grey collar underneath. A delicate silver or pearl beaded necklace is visible around her neck. The background is a soft, plain grey.

Grace McNabney

From Screen to Scroll: Can We Measure how TikTok Contributed Heated Rivalry's Overall Success and Broader Cultural Reach?
Scroll to Top