Digital Higher Education: Better Infrastructure, Greater Potential

Digital teaching at Bavarian universities has stabilized significantly following the COVID-19 pandemic. However, there are still areas that can be improved when it comes to the use of pedagogy and the application of artificial intelligence (AI). This is the conclusion of a recent study conducted by LMU Munich under the direction of Professor Frank Fischer, holder of the Chair of Empirical Pedagogy and Educational Psychology, and the University of Augsburg on behalf of the Bavarian Industry Association (Vereinigung der Bayerischen Wirtschaft e.V., vbw).

The study is based on four sub-studies, including surveys of 13 university administrations, 772 teaching staff, and 1,743 students. By comparing the results with previous studies conducted in 2018 and 2022, the current survey was able to identify medium-term and long-term trends in digital education at Bavarian universities.

Issue of participation

The technical infrastructure receives a particularly positive assessment: both teaching staff and students rate it as “better than ever.” At the same time, digital participation remains an issue, as some students still do not have adequate access to computers or tablets.

“We now have near-universal access to devices among students at universities – almost exclusively through devices they’ve purchased themselves, so ‘bring your own device’. But almost 10% of students can’t afford this. Something needs to be done here,” says Frank Fischer.
In teaching itself, however, a certain inertia is evident. While digital media are firmly established, they are mostly used for presentations at universities and simple practice exercises at home.

More sophisticated applications that enhance learning are still very much the exception. As a consequence, the teaching and learning culture is also evolving only gradually. Frank Fischer comments: “Often, the type of exam presents the stumbling block: if the final multiple-choice exam tests factual knowledge, more sophisticated, competency-oriented learning activities – such as those associated with inquiry-based or collaborative learning – aren’t worthwhile. Students are intelligent and recognize this.”

Use of AI

A new area of focus for the study is AI: students and teaching staff primarily use relevant tools to prepare for and review courses. They have so far played a minor role in actual teaching. The stakeholder groups seem to be torn between the opportunities and risks that AI presents in higher education.

Currently, the use of ChatGPT is particularly widespread, mostly via private accounts, which raises questions about data protection, copyright, and equal opportunity. “University administrators, teaching staff, and students that we surveyed see great opportunities to deliver more efficient academic workflows, but they’re concerned about fairness in exams,” says Frank Fischer. The students surveyed are more concerned than their lecturers that using AI could have a negative impact on their learning.

In addition to surveys, the study also conducted several objective tests, for example on the participants’ knowledge of generative AI. “We were surprised to see how much the respondents know about this. And contrary to the sometimes-expressed view that students know more than their teachers, the study revealed that teaching staff are ‘one step ahead’ of their students in almost all disciplines.”

According to the study, when it comes to teacher training, new topics related to AI are being rapidly incorporated into continuing education and professional development programs. “AI is already a topic addressed in a fifth of all workshops.”

The study recommends expanding course offerings to include AI skills, greater integration of digital technologies into teaching, and targeted measures to ensure digital inclusion. According to the study, many students want a university education that not only provides them with subject-specific knowledge but also equips them, among other things, with the ability to use AI and other digital technologies effectively and thoughtfully.

Publication:

For the study, see: Digitale Bildung an Bayerischen Hochschulen (in German only)