AI for good in HE? Leveraging AI and GenAI for note-taking and studying from lecture material

The use of AI and GenAI in education is changing the education landscape. In this article we argue that AI and GenAI can be leveraged positively in the learning journey of students facing barriers to their learning through the support of note-taking and learning activities during and after lectures. The creation of transcripts and learning materials, such as quizzes, from transcripts can support students and improve the learning outcomes of disabled or neurodivergent learners. In the literature, there has tended to be a focus on unethical use of AI and GenAI by students, in particular in the writing of submitted materials. We highlight ways to leverage AI and GenAI to make education more equitable through its use in learning processes rather than the creation of assignments. Students in Higher Education have been shown to have poor note-taking skills and barriers faced may be exacerbated for disabled or neurodivergent students. It follows that if notes are not of a helpful standard, that learning aids created from these may not be helpful in supporting learning and achievement. The context of note-taking and learning from lecture materials is argued to be an important context in which the adoption of AI is a positive development. Ethically, the use of technology in this way raises debate surrounding students’ digital skills and lecturer attitudes to AI in the classroom, which we address.