Faculty Readiness and Pedagogical Transformation in AI-Enabled Personalized Learning: A Phenomenological Study

Abstract

The use of artificial intelligence (AI) in the education sector has become widespread, and AI-facilitated individualized learning has become recognized in higher education, transforming instructional and pedagogical decision-making from an alternative perspective. Whereas literature provides potential insights into the role of AI in education, the lived experiences of readiness and pedagogical change by faculty members are yet to be investigated. The current study focuses on the experiences of faculty members of higher education regarding AI-enabled personalized learning in their professional teaching work. The qualitative phenomenological research design was used to conduct deep semi-structured interviews with ten participants selected through purposive sampling techniques from three public sector universities of Punjab, Pakistan. Thematic analysis was used for data analysis. The results indicate five interactive themes: Becoming Ready, Redefined Teaching, Ethical Negotiation, Hidden Workload, and Institutional Leverage. The faculty preparedness was developed because of the challenge of experience that was not only built through the training but also through the long, gradual experience. Participants described a redefinition of teaching along the lines of facilitation and mentoring and learning design, as well as increased ethical responsibility in the areas of academic integrity, data privacy, and algorithmic transparency. There was ongoing concern over increased cognitive demands and intensification of workload, especially in the early stages of adoption, and institutional support made the difference between facilitating and inhibiting pedagogical change. The study further explores the sense-making of the faculty and professional identity formation in AI-mediated pedagogy, as well as providing policy-relevant information in relation to how AI can be integrated ethically and sustainably in higher education.