The AI Revolution in Higher Education is Already Here
As businesses rapidly embrace artificial intelligence, many believe that higher education is lagging behind. However, new research uncovers a surprising reality: education faculty are adopting AI at impressive rates, with 89% already utilizing generative AI tools to enhance doctoral education in various innovative ways. This eye-opening study from researchers at Drexel University examined how faculty in Educational Doctorate (EdD) programs perceive and use generative AI, and the findings challenge common assumptions about educators' readiness to adopt new technologies. Whether you are a current or prospective doctoral student, an educator interested in AI integration, or simply curious about how AI is transforming education, the insights from this research expose both exciting opportunities and significant considerations for the future of learning.
Key Findings: AI Adoption Among Education Faculty
The study surveyed 27 faculty members teaching in EdD programs across the United States and discovered:
- High adoption rate: An impressive 89% of participants reported using generative AI in their work with doctoral students.
- Early adopters: 71.5% had used the technology for at least 9 months.
- Positive attitudes: Users generally maintained favorable opinions about AI's impact on their work and humanity.
- Low perceived threat: Both users and non-users viewed AI as posing a relatively low threat to their careers.
Perhaps the most striking aspect is how these educators perceive AI—not as a substitute for their expertise, but as a valuable "thought partner" that enhances their ability to support doctoral students in various ways.
How Faculty Are Using AI: From Brainstorming to Dissertation Support
The research revealed faculty are leveraging AI across multiple aspects of their work with doctoral students:
1. Brainstorming Partner
The most popular use of AI (71% used it frequently) was for brainstorming, treating AI as a "thought partner" to generate ideas, discover novel approaches to course content, and ignite creativity. Faculty reported using AI to:
- Draft rubrics for assignments that could then be refined
- Generate fresh curriculum content ideas
- Develop alternative problem-solving strategies
Many faculty members notably encouraged students to use AI for brainstorming their research topics and questions, particularly when they felt stuck in their thinking process.
2. Enhancing Lesson Planning
Another prominent use (58% used frequently) was for lesson planning. Faculty leveraged AI to:
- Produce new case studies to demonstrate concepts.
- Design interactive activities for challenging topics.
- Craft innovative explanations for complex ideas.
3. Supporting Dissertation Research and Writing
A significant 83% of faculty reported using AI to support students with their dissertation work. This included:
- Topic Development: Assisting students in brainstorming potential research topics and methods when encountering obstacles.
- Literature Review Support: Broadening perspectives on which literature should guide their problem of practice inquiry, organizing outlines, and generating relevant research questions.
- Academic Writing Assistance: Utilizing AI as a "writing tutor" to review and refine paragraphs for cohesion, coherence, and logical structure.
- Quality Enhancement: Evaluating the alignment between research questions and methods, ensuring consistency across chapters, and identifying gaps in literature reviews based on findings.
One faculty member advised students to "engage in arguments with generative AI to achieve better results and enhance their writing by refining sections" - illustrating how the technology can serve as an interactive writing partner instead of merely a text generator.
4. Building AI Literacy
Many faculty (87%) reported teaching students about AI itself, helping them:
- Understand the technology's possibilities and limitations
- Compare their own data analysis with AI-generated analysis
- Practice drafting, revising, and refining with AI assistance
- Identify gaps in their thinking they hadn't previously considered
5. Creating Culturally Responsive Content
Faculty also leveraged AI to create more inclusive educational experiences by:
- Finding materials spanning different cultures and backgrounds
- Incorporating diverse stories and perspectives
- Helping students recognize the importance of positionality and lived experiences
Different Perceptions: Users vs. Non-Users
Interestingly, the study found stark differences between how AI users and non-users perceived the technology:
- Users expressed notably more favorable opinions about AI's effects on their work and on humanity.
- Although both groups viewed AI as presenting a relatively low risk to their careers, non-users perceived even fewer threats.
This suggests faculty who actively engage with AI develop more positive perceptions through their experiences, while those who haven't tried it may hold more negative preconceptions.
Looking Ahead: Research Needs and Recommendations
While this study provides valuable insights, the researchers acknowledge limitations, including the small sample size and potential selection bias. Future research should:
- Employ more robust sampling techniques to provide a clearer picture of AI adoption across education faculty
- Monitor the long-term impacts of AI integration on faculty effectiveness and student learning
- Continue exploring how perceptions about AI shape its adoption and use
The study's authors recommend improving faculty AI literacy by providing ongoing training and support, ensuring the ethical and equitable use of this powerful technology.
Conclusion: AI as a Partner, Not a Replacement
This research challenges the narrative that higher education is resistant to AI adoption. At least among this sample of education faculty, AI is widely embraced as a valuable tool that enhances, rather than threatens, their work with doctoral students. As one participant described it, AI functions best as a "thought partner"—not replacing human expertise and guidance, but amplifying creativity, efficiency, and effectiveness in doctoral education.
How might your educational experience change if AI were thoughtfully integrated as a learning partner? What aspects of teaching or research could benefit most from AI assistance? These are questions worth exploring as education continues to evolve in the age of artificial intelligence.
Based on: "Unlocking the Future: How are EdD Faculty Using Generative AI in Doctoral Research" by Ellana Black and Kristen Betts, Drexel University. Published in Impacting Education: Journal on Transforming Professional Practice, 2025.