The world of education is undergoing a transformation, as technology remains a force in how students learn, interact and respond to their teachers. This shift can be seen both in the classroom and online, driven by innovations like Artificial Intelligence (AI) and the growing application of Hyflex learning models.
Professor of Business Technology, Lisa Schmidt, who has taught at Butler for 21 years and is in her 22nd year, has experienced firsthand the effects of technology on education. Having taught for a total of 30 years, she said there is a night-and-day difference from when she was a student to today.
"As a student, technology was basically just word processing," Schmidt, who is also the co-department chair, said. "But now, with the introduction of AI, automation is a buzzword, and the way that technology operates in education has completely shifted."
She concedes that technology has grown rapidly in what it can do since she attended school. Schmidt also indicates the positive impact technology has contributed to students' learning, particularly through platforms such as Canvas.
"Students are now able to turn in assignments, view their grades at any given time and be responsible,” Schmidt said. “You used to have to ask for your grades, but now they are all there at once.”
Balance is the solution, according to Schmidt.
"Technology is a good thing, but there's a limit," Schmidt said. "The problem is if it takes away from learning or teaching rather than contributing to learning, then it's not doing a good thing."
She believes that technology, and specifically AI, has transformed the way that students engage with learning but must be used as a tool to enhance, rather than substitute, genuine learning opportunities.
Artificial Intelligence
Professor of English William (Jim) Buchhorn, now in his 25th year of teaching and having spent 16 years at Butler, sees AI's evolving role in education as both exciting and challenging. He explained that he first became familiar with AI through students' increasing use of it.
"Students started using it, and I had to catch up quickly," Buchhorn, who is also the English chair, said.
Over time, he came to understand that AI is not just a tool for automating administrative tasks, it is altering the way students engage with content.
“AI now makes people hesitant to put their own writing down and then submit what has been written or improved by a computer,” Buchhorn said, and he is cautious about the attachment on AI. "AI is a tool, not a replacement for human interaction. Teachers will always be essential for guiding and supporting students.”
As AI becomes more common for students, Buchhorn has noticed how it affects students' writing.
"Some students use AI to rewrite their essays, improving their papers,” Buchhorn said. “What they do not realize is that AI changes the paper in ways they might not fully understand."
He always speaks about the issue in his classes, especially at the start of each semester, pointing out that students are expected to create original work. He even includes warnings on his assignments, warning against using programs like Grammarly and Quillbot to alter their work.
While AI can be a helpful research tool, Buchhorn believes that it is important for students to develop confidence in their own work.
Buchhorn acknowledges that AI can be used responsibly in research.
"If you cite the source and treat it as a tool—like using Google AI for research and saying, 'according to Google AI'—it can be useful," Buchhorn said. However, on a personal level, he encourages students to avoid over-reliance on AI, as it can complicate the learning process. "People rely on AI instead of themselves. This, in my opinion, is causing harm to their learning journey."
The future of learning, he suggests, lies in balancing technological tools with the essential human capacity for critical thinking and creativity.
HyFlex
The mode, according to Noreen Templin, a professor of economics, an ardent HyFlex learning model proponent, combines in-person and online learning. This is the reason it allows students the choice of whether to take a class in person or online.
"HyFlex is a modality where you have some students in person in the classroom and others join at the same time virtually via Zoom during the class period," Templin said.
She has a second monitor in her classroom along with a webcam. For every class session, a special link is given to the students, which is set up through Canvas and is available only to students taking that class.
"It’s like a Zoom meeting where I can share my screen, and both students in the classroom and those online can see it on their devices," Templin, a department chair, said.
Templin chose to use HyFlex in her classes in the COVID-19 pandemic when social distancing was making it difficult to include all students in the classroom. She started by placing an iPad on a tripod to turn to face the screen, allowing students to opt whether to come to class or to be online.
"It worked better for students, especially those who faced transportation issues, health concerns or life activities,” Templin said. “It allowed them to stay involved in class without missing important lessons.”
When asked about the advantages and disadvantages of HyFlex, Templin notes that one key benefit is convenience.
"Students have the option of coming to class or being remote, which gives them flexibility," she said. "If you're not in the classroom and you're remote, you're not as fully engaged because of distractions."
One of the biggest challenges, is managing group work in a HyFlex setting.
"When you have students both in person and online, it’s difficult to conduct group activities that work for everyone," she said.
To combat this issue, she occasionally provides remote students with their own Zoom rooms to engage in group work or modify classroom activities to ensure both online and on-campus students have opportunities for valuable contribution.
To facilitate interaction across different HyFlex modalities, Templin makes a conscious effort to engage all students, whether they are in the classroom or online.
"The students in the classroom are more visible, so I can easily call on them,” Templin said. “For those on Zoom, I will ask them to type their answers in the chat or unmute themselves to share their responses with the class. I try to make sure that those on Zoom don’t feel like they’re missing out or disconnected from the rest of the class."
Lastly, Templin posits that although HyFlex presents some challenges, it provides students with a genuine opportunity to engage in a flexible and accessible learning environment that is responsive to their own situation.