Seventeenth Global Studies Conference

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to define the value of artificial intelligence (AI) for service-learning courses. AI can be utilized as a tool for curriculum development that helps students and faculty identify relevant and current community issues and apply course content to help resolve those community concerns. Merging AI into service-learning courses also advances technology within community-based projects, allowing a diverse student population to positively impact local communities. There is limited research on AI in the high-impact practice of service learning. With the popularity of AI growing everyday, it is vital that educators learn how to use AI to enhance service-learning in courses. With service-learning projects, AI can be a resource faculty use to create personalized projects involving local communities. Students can also use AI to identify local community needs and strategies on how to assist in resolving it. This is especially significant for students who are online, in rural communities, and that English is a second language. AI provides them access to content that they might not have access to in a typical service-learning classroom. This study informs educators on how to incorporate AI into the curriculum, how to connect the course content to local community issues, and how to strategize how students can develop a deeper understanding of social issues.