Date of Award

2025

Document Type

Master Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Arts (Research)

Department

Media Communications

First Advisor

Dr Louise Nagle

Second Advisor

Dr Gearóid Ó Suilleabháin

Third Advisor

Dr Tom Farrelly

Abstract

The rapid emergence of Generative Artificial Intelligence (GAI) has introduced a transformative age of technology, gaining prominent attention in higher education. This mixed-methods case study examined how GAI was understood, applied, and managed within an Irish Technological University at a time of turbulence when no official GAI policies were available as a point of reference. Lecturing and research staff were invited to participate in an online survey (𝑛 = 145) and semi-structured interviews (𝑛 = 8) to share their experiences with GAI technology within the case study university. Lack of guidance was seen to affect staff’s confidence and adoption, but also presented opportunities for innovative change management approaches, such as a proposed heuristic device combining both Kotter's and Kübler-Ross’s models for an empathetic approach towards academic staff mourning pre-GAI ways of teaching. Themes such as academic integrity, staff training, AI literacy and illiteracy, and change management were analysed in light of existing literature and staff experiences. A desire for human-centred yet management-led guidance showed a pressing need for deeper understanding of the multidisciplinary applications and implications of GAI in Irish HEIs. Varying resistance and optimism were shown among educators, as well as a need for an equitable approach to policymaking and guidance that accommodated disciplinary differences. By focusing on lecturers’ professional and personal engagements with GAI, this case study emphasises the significance of proactive, empathetic change management alongside AI-informed teaching methods, providing recommendations for HEIs seeking to navigate the pedagogical, ethical, and institutional implications of GAI adoption.

Creative Commons License

Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

Access Level

info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess

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