Harnessing AI for enhancing student support services: the case of the University of the South Pacific

Chand, Rajni K. and Goundar, Raveena (2024) Harnessing AI for enhancing student support services: the case of the University of the South Pacific. Journal of Ethics in Higher Education, 5 . pp. 145-158. ISSN 2813-4370

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Abstract

In the unique educational landscape of small island countries in the Pacific, the University of the South Pacific (USP) has embarked on an innovative approach to augmenting student support services by integrating Generative AI technology. This initiative specifically caters to its diverse and dispersed student body across 12 countries and five time zones, addressing a critical need for accessible and empathetic support systems in higher education. The Semester Zero, an online preparatory course designed for all incoming students utilizes GPT 3.5-Turbo and is trained with extensive course materials and the university's handbook. Accessible via email, and the learning platform it provided immediate responses to around 620 queries within two weeks, with over 70% of users rating the service as highly satisfactory. This strategic application not only alleviated the workload of staff but also showcased the potential of AI to enhance student support services in institutions with far less challenging environments than USP.

Item Type:	Journal Article
Uncontrolled Keywords:	University of the South Pacific, Generative AI Technology, Student Learning Support,
Subjects:	L Education > L Education (General) L Education > LB Theory and practice of education L Education > LB Theory and practice of education > LB2300 Higher Education L Education > LC Special aspects of education
Divisions:	Centre for Flexible Learning (CFL)
Depositing User:	Rajni Chand
Date Deposited:	05 May 2025 03:15
Last Modified:	05 May 2025 03:15
URI:	https://repository.usp.ac.fj/id/eprint/14854

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