By Lilian H. Hill
Generative AI (GenAI)
tools like ChatGPT, DALL-E, or Co-Pilot are quickly becoming part of the
everyday digital landscape. Generative AI refers to systems that can produce
new content: text, images, audio, video—based on patterns learned from vast
datasets. Tools like ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, and DALL·E can generate
human-like responses, summarize complex ideas, or create original examples in
seconds. Using these tools, a teacher can quickly produce tailored practice
materials, conversational prompts, or real-world scenarios aligned to learners’
needs. For adult educators, these technologies present both exciting
opportunities and important questions about how they can—and should—be
integrated into teaching and learning. Used thoughtfully, GenAI can become a
powerful partner in creating richer, more personalized, and more engaging
educational experiences.
Why GenAI is Applicable to Adult
Education
Adult learners
often bring a wealth of prior knowledge, diverse life experiences, and specific
goals to the classroom. The table below links ways that incorporating GenAI
tools in instruction relates to the principles of andragogy (Adarkwah, 2024):
|
Principle
of Andragogy
|
GenAI Tools
in Instruction
|
|
Personalized,
self-directed learning
|
Adults
typically bring diverse backgrounds, experiences, and learning goals. GenAI
tools can tailor explanations, examples, and practice materials to individual
needs, supporting self-paced and self-directed learning.
|
|
Immediate
relevance and application
|
Adult
learners often seek education that directly connects to their careers,
personal growth, or problem-solving in daily life. GenAI can generate
context-specific resources, simulations, or writing support aligned with
real-world tasks.
|
|
Flexibility and
accessibility
|
Many adults
balance education with jobs, families, and other responsibilities. GenAI
offers on-demand tutoring, feedback, and content generation, making learning
more flexible and accessible.
|
|
Support for
diverse skill levels
|
Adult
classrooms can vary widely in terms of prior knowledge, literacy levels, or
digital skills. GenAI adapts dynamically, providing scaffolded explanations
for beginners and advanced insights for experienced learners.
|
|
Enhancement of
critical thinking and creativity
|
Adults often
bring rich experiences that allow them to critique and expand on generated
outputs. GenAI serves as a partner in brainstorming, reflection, and creative
problem-solving rather than just a source of answers.
|
|
Lifelong
learning orientation
|
Adult
education emphasizes continuous learning beyond formal degrees. GenAI
supports this by offering lifelong, personalized, and low-cost opportunities
for exploration and skill-building.
|
Practical Classroom Applications
The most
effective use comes when instructors frame GenAI as a support tool, not a
replacement—encouraging learners to use outputs as starting points for critical
analysis, revision, and discussion. Here are six ways educators can integrate
generative tools (Storey & Wagner, 2024):
1. Personalized
Learning Assistance: Because adult learners bring different skill levels
and backgrounds to the classroom, GenAI can serve as an adaptive learning
assistant. Learners can ask the tool to re-explain difficult concepts in
simpler terms, provide step-by-step guidance, or create analogies that connect
with their professional experiences. In addition, GenAI can generate study aids
such as practice quizzes, flashcards, and summaries that align with class
content, helping learners prepare more effectively.
2. Writing
and Communication Support: Adult learners can use GenAI as a tool
for drafting and revising various forms of writing, from essays and reports to
professional emails. For those learning English as an additional language,
GenAI tools can provide grammar corrections, vocabulary suggestions, and
conversational practice. Instructors can then guide learners in refining the
AI-generated drafts, turning the process into a valuable exercise in editing
and communication.
3. Career
and Professional Development: GenAI offers practical applications in
career-focused education. Learners can use it to draft resumes, cover letters,
or professional profiles, which they can then refine through peer review or
instructor feedback. The technology can also simulate job interviews by posing
realistic, industry-specific questions, giving learners the opportunity to
rehearse their responses in a low-stakes environment before entering the real
job market.
4. Critical
Thinking and Media Literacy: One powerful use of GenAI in adult education
is cultivating critical thinking. Learners can be tasked with analyzing
AI-generated content to identify potential bias, inaccuracies, or missing
perspectives. They can also engage in fact-checking exercises, comparing the
AI’s responses against credible sources. These activities not only strengthen
critical evaluation skills but also build media and digital literacy, both of
which are essential in today’s information-rich society.
5. Creative
Applications: Adult learners can use GenAI to brainstorm project ideas,
develop proposals, or solve workplace-related problems in innovative ways. The
tool can also support storytelling and reflective writing by generating prompts
that help learners articulate personal narratives or professional case studies.
In this way, AI fosters both creative expression and deeper engagement with
course material.
6. Accessibility
and Inclusivity: GenAI can play a crucial role in making learning more
accessible for adults with diverse needs. It can simplify complex texts into
plain language for learners with lower literacy levels or reframe content in
different formats, such as visual diagrams or role-play scenarios, to suit
various learning styles. This flexibility helps ensure that all learners,
regardless of background, can engage meaningfully with course materials.
Ethical and Pedagogical Considerations
While GenAI
tools offer benefits for adult education, their use also raises important
ethical and pedagogical concerns that educators must address thoughtfully (Reihanian
et al., 2025).
A key issue is accuracy,
as these tools are prone to generating responses that may sound authoritative
but contain factual errors or incomplete information. These are sometimes referred to as AI hallucinations that
can be misleading for students and educators. This makes it essential for both
educators and learners to adopt verification practices, such as cross-checking
AI outputs with credible sources.
Another concern
is bias, since AI systems are trained on vast datasets that may carry
historical or cultural stereotypes. If left unexamined, these biases can influence
the output and potentially even reinforce inequities.
Equally
important is transparency. Learners need to understand not only the
capabilities of generative tools but also their limitations, including how they
arrive at certain outputs and why their responses should be treated critically
rather than accepted at face value.
Finally, assessment
integrity presents a pedagogical challenge. Instructors must consider how
to design assignments and evaluation strategies that encourage authentic
learning while discouraging overreliance on AI-generated content. This may
involve clarifying expectations around responsible use, integrating AI literacy
into the curriculum, and developing assessments that prioritize process,
reflection, and critical thinking alongside final products.
Collectively,
these considerations highlight the importance of using GenAI in ways that
enhance learning without compromising ethical standards or academic integrity.
Keeping Humans in the Loop
GenAI should
not replace the educator. Instead, it should enhance their role. Teachers
remain essential for providing context, fostering critical thinking, and
building the human connections that are at the heart of learning. By
positioning AI as a co-pilot rather than an autopilot, educators can ensure
that technology supports, rather than dictates, the learning process. As tools
like ChatGPT continue to evolve, adult educators have an opportunity to shape
how they are used in ways that promote equity, creativity, and lifelong
learning. The key is to remain curious, informed, and willing to
experiment—while keeping learners’ needs and goals at the center of the
process.
References
Adarkwah, M. A. (2024).
GenAI-infused adult learning in the digital era: a conceptual framework for
higher education. Adult Learning, 36(3), 149-161. https://doi.org/10.1177/10451595241271161
Reihanian, I., Hou, Y.,
Chen, Y., Zheng, Y. (2025). A Review
of Generative AI in Computer Science Education: Challenges and Opportunities in
Accuracy, Authenticity, and Assessment. arXiv. https://arxiv.org/html/2507.11543v1?utm_source=chatgpt.com
Storey, V., &
Wagner, A. (2024). Integrating artificial intelligence (AI) Into adult education. International Journal of Adult Education
and Technology, 15(1), https://doi.org/10.4018/IJAET.345921
