The concept of “publish or perish” in higher education suggests that the destiny of academic faculty depends on their success in publishing scholarly work. De Rond & Millier (2005) suggest that aphorisms such as these are respected by many and feared by even more. This culture still persists in many higher education institutions, but we often fail to see the detrimental impact of it, particularly on time-strapped professionals. One of the critical challenges faced by higher education educators is the scarcity of time, with faculty often juggling up to 18 teaching contact hours each week, alongside administrative responsibilities. This leaves little room for quality empirical research to be done. In this context, Artificial Intelligence (AI) emerges as a potential savior, offering solutions to some of the challenges experienced.
Aiding in conducting the literature review
Quality literature reviews are typically labor-intensive, demanding thorough examination of numerous scholarly sources. ChatGPT can be a time-efficient assistant, swiftly providing focused and pertinent suggestions for scholarly sources. In my comparison with the conventional method of initiating the search on research databases like ProQuest and EBSCO, a more effective approach emerged in consulting AI first and subsequently refining the search on research databases. The AI’s capacity to offer fairly precise suggestions stands out as a valuable time-saving advantage.
In addition, ChatGPT further showcased its adaptability by efficiently assessing articles against predefined criteria, streamlining source selection. Recently, I tasked ChatGPT with expediting the literature search. I provided a clear research problem and questions, seeking 15 recent sources related to integrated STEM education, early childhood education (ages 4-8 years), social-emotional learning, and STEM-SED. Additionally, I specified a preference for works from specific authoritative bodies. In a matter of seconds, ChatGPT produced a list of 15 sources. While five sources were untraceable, the AI’s suggestions were valuable, as alternative titles by the same authors were accessible. In two instances, where recommended sources were not directly obtainable, ChatGPT guided me towards comparable works.
In a separate experiment, I copied abstracts from ten studies, tasking ChatGPT with an evaluation based on my research problem and questions. Impressively, ChatGPT swiftly provided insightful assessments, streamlining literature selection. This highlighted the comparative efficiency of ChatGPT in both source recommendation and evaluation against predefined criteria. The potential for AI assistance to enhance traditional database searches is apparent, signifying a transformative shift in how researchers can retrieve information.
AI – Your research sounding board
Having a robust research proposal is crucial in demonstrating the quality and significance of your research and providing an opportunity to anticipate challenges and draw valid conclusions. ChatGPT emerges as a valuable asset in refining the research proposal, offering insights that streamline this potentially tedious task. Through a series of prompts, I sought ChatGPT’s guidance in formulating a research proposal, traditionally a time-consuming and mentally taxing process. Specifically, I explored studying how Jamaican early childhood teachers implement STEM and SEL in daily practices, receiving fast yet enriching guidance.
When I requested three potential research directions, ChatGPT provided insightful suggestions that deepened my insights and solidified my intended research direction. Seeking methodology recommendations, considering my role as a time-constrained teacher educator inclined towards action research, ChatGPT proposed qualitative methods and mixed method designs. This guidance significantly contributed to my decision-making process, expediting the effective completion of my research proposal.
Note our conversation:
- Me: Listen to what I am thinking aloud. I want to conduct research about how teachers at the early childhood level use STEM and SEL in actual practice, among other things. What do you think?
- ChatGPT: It sounds like you are considering conducting a research study to investigate how teachers at the early childhood level actually implement STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) and SEL (Social-Emotional Learning) in their day-to-day practices. This is a valuable and relevant topic, especially considering the increasing emphasis on holistic education and the integration of STEM and SEL for young learners. Here are a few thoughts and considerations…
- Me: Suggest different directions in which I could study this problem.
- ChatGPT: [Provided three suggestions.]
- Me: For these three, what research design and methodology would you suggest for each, considering that I am a teacher educator who is particularly interested in action research and has limited time?
- ChatGPT: [Suggested action research with qualitative emphasis and mixed methods.]
By now, I had a very good idea of the direction I wanted to take, and the research was becoming more clear.
Instrument design and data analysis
ChatGPT helped me formulate pertinent questions for the interview, and its suggestions encouraged me to think more creatively about the research. Data analysis was also alleviated by the tool. While tools like ChatGPT do not perform the analysis, it can aid in the process.
Transcribing interview data is, undoubtedly, one of the most tedious tasks. Fortunately, there are many transcription tools available to assist with this. Nonetheless, the pearl for me was AI’s ability to generate a summary of the recording, resembling minutes of a meeting with headings.
Furthermore, ChatGPT proved to be an invaluable asset in post-editing tasks. It could assist in summarizing or reorganizing the transcripts according to specified headings and streamlining the document for easier coding and analysis. While the onus of analysis remained on my shoulders, leveraging AI significantly streamlined the process and allowed me to dedicate more time to the critical analytical phase. Additionally, ChatGPT served as a reliable cross-checker, ensuring that no nuances or insights were overlooked by my limited perspective. For instance, after coding and deciding on emerging themes from the data, I provided the summaries generated by the AI helper to ChatGPT, prompting it to identify any unforeseen themes. This cross-referencing process not only confirmed my own findings but also revealed a few unexpected perspectives highlighting the valuable role of AI in augmenting the analytical process.
The way forward
Certainly, the integration of AI into the research process can undermine rigor expected in research. However, I believe that the ethical considerations and methodological rigor that defines sound research will not be compromised but rather complemented by the capabilities of AI tools. They can streamline routine tasks, freeing up faculty to focus on more intricate aspects of their work. AI does not make decisions or judgments; it aids in executing tasks and providing insights based on the data and prompts it receives, serving as a tireless companion, ensuring that the human touch remains central to decision-making. This also underscores the faculty’s need to see AI as a tool, not a substitute for their own intellectual capability—a true ally. This cooperative alliance manifests as a harmonious synergy, where the capabilities of AI enhance and fortify the ethical underpinnings of scholarly endeavors. Thereby better navigating the demanding landscape of “publish or perish” by augmenting productivity and output, potentially reshaping academic expectation.
Shellon Samuels-White, a passionate educator with over 14 years of experience, currently serves as a teacher-educator in the faculty of education at The Mico University College. She is a firm believer in the transformative power of quality instruction, and ardently upholds the view that the role of the teacher stands as a high calling. She holds a bachelor of science in secondary teacher education, and a master of arts in curriculum and instruction both with distinction from Northern Caribbean University (NCU). She is acknowledged as an ASCD Emerging Leader and was awarded in 2022 by the Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development, Washington DC. Additionally, she was also presented the torch bearer award for writing and publications from the Institute of Technological and Educational Research (ITER) in 2022 – The Mico University College.
Reference
De Rond, M., & Miller, A. N. (2005). Publish or Perish: Bane or Boon of Academic Life? Journal of Management Inquiry, 14(4), 321-329. https://doi.org/10.1177/1056492605276850
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