GenZ and GenAI : Assessing the potential benefits and limitations of using Generative AI tools in tertiary education in Built Environment courses.

Summary

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is dramatically disrupting traditional patterns of teaching, learning and assessment in tertiary education. This PhD focuses on the impacts of Generative AI (GenAI) in Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) as applied across the spectrum of Built Environment (BE) education, where proprietary language, design, modelling, visualisation, and statistical tools are readily available and rapidly developing in sophistication. Beyond practice-focused skills, this PhD will examine impacts of integrating or excluding GenAI tools for BE student’s learning, critical development, and assessment/Quality Assurance. It will also consider the implications for including or excluding students from using these tools with education aims, and arguments for skilled human input and critical evaluation of GenAI technologies.

The PhD will connect pedagogic theory and student’s rights to be educated with intellectual, technical and interpersonal skills to enhance employability and life-long opportunities alongside the challenges for HEIs and BE educators to use the vast range of GenAI emerging for BE education and practice. Ensuring quality assurance of teaching and the inclusivity, authenticity and appropriateness of assessment will be inherent considerations as outcomes relevant for international academic communities of practice.

Proposals should consider how GenAI and associated software/hardware focused pedagogies addresses concerns over digital poverty, tools outpacing national regulatory adaptation, content usage and consent, impacts on real-world understandings, provenance of processes used to generate content, monitoring deeper deep fakes, and for student’s learning challenges to maintain a diversity of opinions, enabling students to find their voice and form their own critically aware opinions and judgements (UNESCO,2023).

Given the PhD’s pedagogic focus and supervisory team expertise across BE subjects including architecture, planning, real estate, and environmental health, applicants should have an explicit interest in BE education and be comfortable applying cross-disciplinary methodologies. Familiarisation with GenAI tools and application by industry professionals, and pedagogic theory should be illustrated in proposals.

Essential criteria

Applicants should hold, or expect to obtain, a First or Upper Second Class Honours Degree in a subject relevant to the proposed area of study.

We may also consider applications from those who hold equivalent qualifications, for example, a Lower Second Class Honours Degree plus a Master’s Degree with Distinction.

In exceptional circumstances, the University may consider a portfolio of evidence from applicants who have appropriate professional experience which is equivalent to the learning outcomes of an Honours degree in lieu of academic qualifications.

• Research proposal of 2000 words detailing aims, objectives, milestones and methodology of the project

Equal Opportunities

The University is an equal opportunities employer and welcomes applicants from all sections of the community, particularly from those with disabilities.

Appointment will be made on merit.

Funding and eligibility

This project is funded by:

• Department for the Economy (DfE)
• Vice Chancellor's Research Scholarship (VCRS)

Our fully funded PhD scholarships will cover tuition fees and provide a maintenance allowance of £19,237 (tbc) per annum for three years* (subject to satisfactory academic performance).  A Research Training Support Grant (RTSG) of £900 per annum is also available.

These scholarships, funded via the Department for the Economy (DfE) and the Vice Chancellor’s Research Scholarships (VCRS), are open to applicants worldwide, regardless of residency or domicile.

Applicants who already hold a doctoral degree or who have been registered on a programme of research leading to the award of a doctoral degree on a full-time basis for more than one year (or part-time equivalent) are NOT eligible to apply for an award.

*Part time PhD scholarships may be available, based on 0.5 of the full time rate, and will require a six year registration period (individual project advertisements will note where part time options apply).

Due consideration should be given to financing your studies.