Thinking It through or Thinking through ‘It’? The Ethics of Research Involving Artificial Intelligence and Education

This case study considers some of the ethical issues related to research involving artificial intelligence and education. It highlights balancing the need for data with obligations to protect privacy and intellectual property, challenges in obtaining informed consent from participants concerning technology that is complicated and ever evolving, power differentials between researchers and students, and potential conflicts of interest. Drawing on BERA’s Ethical Guidelines for Educational Research, this case study discusses key ethical issues, including: researcher responsibility to act with integrity and ensure the commissioning body’s vested interests do not unduly influence research findings; balancing the need for data with obligations to protect privacy and intellectual property, while maintaining confidentiality in the dissemination of results; navigating the dual roles of researcher and insider and power imbalances between researchers and students; ensuring participants fully understand what they are consenting to and how their input will be protected, communicating risk without overwhelming detail; implications of using AI research tools in studying AI use