Generative Artificial Intelligence in Higher Education: Mediating Learning for Literacy Development

We investigate the integration of generative artificial intelligence (GAI), such as ChatGPT, into higher education courses and assignments to understand how GAI tools mediate learning and support the development of students’ subject and GAI literacy. By investigating the embedding of GAI into educational contexts, we address both the opportunities and challenges of GAI in higher education teaching. Utilizing technology-mediated learning (TML) theory, our case study explores how incorporating ChatGPT and other GAI tools into courses and assignments can enhance learning outcomes, foster interactive and collaborative learning, support critical thinking, and prepare students for professional use of GAI. We examine the role of GAI tools in facilitating learning and reflect on the implications for teachers and higher education institutions. Our findings demonstrate that GAI tools can mediate learning by bridging subject knowledge gaps, enabling adaptive and scalable support, and fostering GAI literacy through hands-on engagement, while underscoring the continued importance of human educators in providing critical, ethical, and contextual guidance.