Generative AI and Value Change in the Classroom: A Critical Inquiry into the Ethical Implications of EdTech

A PRESENTATION BY Dr. Qin Zhu
Online Event via Zoom

Abstract:

This presentation examines how the integration of generative AI as educational technology in
undergraduate classrooms reshapes values about learning and teaching among students and
instructors, reconfigures their relationships, and transforms broader educational culture. It
introduces the Generative AI and Value Change (GAVC) framework as a tool for exploring the
ethical implications of EdTech. Grounded in Dewey’s pragmatism and Van de Poel & Kudina’s
theory of technology-induced value change, the framework identifies three major dynamics: (1)
Value Dynamism: Existing values are reinterpreted (e.g., what counts as “original work” in an
age of AI text generation); (2) Value Adaptation: Institutional priorities shift such as when
departments begin emphasizing “AI literacy” as a core learning outcome; and (3) Value
Emergence: New ethical ideals appear such as “algorithmic responsibility,” where both humans
and AI are accountable in learning processes. The GAVC framework provides educators and
researchers with a tool to critically assess how AI is reshaping educational ethics and culture.

Bio:

Dr. Qin Zhu is an Associate Professor in the Department of Engineering Education at Virginia Tech and an Honorary Research Fellow at the Center for Practical Ethics at the University of Mississippi. He serves on the Board of Directors of the Association for Practical and Professional Ethics (APPE) and as Associate Editor for Science and Engineering Ethics and Studies in Engineering Education. His lab conducts both philosophical analysis and empirical research to explore how culture shapes and is shaped by the development and deployment of AI, the professional formation of responsible AI practitioners, and the teaching and learning of (ethical) AI literacy across K–16 educational contexts.
 

If you are an individual with a disability and desire an accommodation, welcome! Please email ylchen@vt.edu at least 10 days prior to the event.