Proceedings of the 6th Global Conference on Education and Teaching
Year: 2024
DOI:
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The Relevance of Prompt Engineering in Modern Technology and Learning in Higher Education
Bonga Siyanda Simelane
ABSTRACT:
The increasing adoption of artificial intelligence (AI) in higher education is reshaping teaching and learning practices, with large language models (LLMs) at the forefront of this transformation. While numerous studies have examined the impact of LLMs on academic integrity and their integration into educational environments, the role of prompt engineering as a strategic tool for enhancing learning and assessment has received little attention. This paper addresses this gap by exploring prompt engineering not merely as a technical skill but as an essential method for fostering critical thinking, optimising academic integrity, and improving the overall educational experience. Following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines, a systematic review of 42 AI-focused education journals up to 2024 was conducted. The findings highlight the need for comprehensive frameworks for the ethical use of LLMs in academia and underscore the limited interventions aimed at curbing unethical practices associated with AI technologies in higher education.
keywords: artificial intelligence; critical thinking; higher education; prompt engineering; teaching and learning