Students Feel 'Robbed' by AI-Led University Course
Students at the University of Staffordshire have expressed feeling "robbed of knowledge and enjoyment" after discovering that a course they hoped would launch their digital careers was being substantially taught by artificial intelligence. The revelation has sparked confrontations with lecturers and raised serious questions about the ethical use of AI in higher education.
The AI Teaching Experience
James and Owen were among 41 students enrolled in a coding module at Staffordshire last year, participating in a government-funded apprenticeship programme designed to transform them into cybersecurity experts or software engineers. Their career change ambitions quickly turned to disappointment when they realised they were being taught using AI-generated slides read by an AI voiceover.
"If we handed in stuff that was AI-generated, we would be kicked out of the uni, but we're being taught by an AI," James stated during a recorded confrontation with his lecturer in October 2024. He expressed concern that he had "used up two years" of his life on a course that had been delivered "in the cheapest way possible."
Tell-Tale Signs of AI Generation
The students detected the use of AI in their course materials almost immediately. During their first class, the lecturer presented a PowerPoint featuring an AI version of his voice reading the slides. Further investigation revealed multiple red flags including:
- American English inconsistently edited to British English
- Suspicious file names indicating automated generation
- Generic, surface-level information with unexplained references to US legislation
- A voiceover that suddenly morphed into a Spanish accent for 30 seconds before switching back to British
The Guardian independently verified these claims by reviewing course materials and using two different AI detectors - Winston AI and Originality AI - both of which found that numerous assignments and presentations had "a very high likelihood of being AI-generated."
University Response and Ongoing Concerns
Despite multiple student confrontations, the university appears to continue using AI-generated materials. This year, the institution uploaded a policy statement justifying AI use, outlining "a framework for academic professionals leveraging AI automation" in teaching. This contrasts sharply with the university's public policies that limit student AI use, considering it academic misconduct.
In response to Guardian inquiries, the University of Staffordshire stated that "academic standards and learning outcomes were maintained" on the course. They emphasised their support for "the responsible and ethical use of digital technologies" while noting that AI tools "do not replace academic expertise."
While the university eventually brought in human lecturers for the final session, James and Owen considered this action "too little, too late," especially since AI materials appear in this year's teaching as well. Owen, midway through his career change, lamented that he chose the course for underlying knowledge, not just qualifications, calling the experience "a waste of time."
James summarised the emotional impact: "I feel like a bit of my life was stolen." The Staffordshire case emerges as universities increasingly adopt AI tools for teaching, with a Department of Education policy paper from August 2024 hailing generative AI's power to "transform education."
