Assignment #7
As an educator, in our institution, we have heavily incorporated AI and technology into our program. Our curriculum and assessments are provided on the Learning Management System (LMS). Lectures are offered in-person, online via Zoom, or flexible delivery. What we notice is that students, although provided with an option to attend in-person, are opting to mostly attend online.
As I look to 2035, I continue to see the education sector incorporating technology. I foresee that we will have a better LMS with richer curriculum content aligned with employment, and students will continue to utilize education technology. This I see evolving over time. But I cannot help but see another aspect to this. Perhaps, this is more of a critical stance to ed tech, but what I also see is an increase in the decline in students’ mental health and social interactions. According to Selwin (2024) “data generated from students’ uses of devices and software, data collected in classrooms through sensors and/or preexisting contextual data generated offline (such as assessment results, demographic details, and so on)” (Selwin, 2024) are being misinterpreted as engaging and socializing in the online classroom. Robert et al. (2026) states that “students are seeking out opportunities to engage emotionally with AI because they are missing meaningful opportunities to engage with humans to meet their social and emotional needs” (Robert et al., 2026). I am unsure as to whether there is ample evidence to back up this claim; however, I am curious to see if this is in fact something to look into further as I have witnessed this at work as with my own children who attend higher education.
As a side note to see the importance of socializing, today (October 14, 2026) there was a Rally at Meridan Hall in Toronto, RALLY 2026 | Canada’s Digital Wellness Festival for youth who grew up in the digital age. Today’s event provided them with the ability to gather by playing games, put their mobiles away and socialize with one another. Topics discussed was mental health and socialization. It was a momentous success.
References:
Alreshidi, S. M., Almutairi, A. A., El Malti, W., Jomaa, L., Dankar, M., & Fawaz, M. (2026). Perceptions of Lebanese students regarding Integration of Artificial Intelligence in English University courses. Acta Psychologica, 265. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.actpsy.2026.106629
Chen, J. (2023). Application of Mobile Learning in Higher English Education Systems Using Cognitive Web Services. International Journal of E-Collaboration (IJeC), 19(2), 1–23. https://doi.org/10.4018/IJeC.316654
Marzano, G., & Zając, A. (2021). Emergency Remote Education and Smart Working at Three European Higher Education Institutions. International Journal of Web-Based Learning and Teaching Technologies (IJWLTT), 17(6), 1–22. https://doi.org/10.4018/IJWLTT.287553
Robert, J., Muscanell, N., McCormack, M., & Arnold, K. (2026). 2026 EDUCAUSE Horizon Report: Teaching and learning edition. EDUCAUSE. https://www.educause.edu/horizon-report-teaching-and-learning-2026
Selwyn, N. (2024). On the limits of artificial intelligence (AI) in education. Nordisk tidsskrift for pedagogikk og kritikk, 10, 3-14. https://doi.org/10.23865/ntpk.v10.6062 [NTPK_6062_Web (1) | PDF]