Faculty Reflections on Integrating AI

This study explores faculty reflections on integrating AI in social work and psychology education, focusing on perceived successes, challenges, and surprises, as well as the influence of teaching experience, AI familiarity, and face-to-face teaching. Using a phenomenological qualitative design, data were generated from semi-structured, face-to-face interviews with 16 faculty members. Thematic analysis revealed that AI integration enhanced student engagement, promoted innovative teaching practices, and improved efficiency in instructional tasks. Faculty reported positive surprises, such as increased student creativity and collaboration, alongside challenges, including technical difficulties, ethical concerns, and the learning curve associated with AI tools. Discipline-specific variations were also observed, with social work faculty emphasizing empathy-based simulations and psychology faculty highlighting data-driven insights. The study concludes that AI integration is a dynamic, context-sensitive process that offers pedagogical benefits.