(ANS – Barcelona) – The emergence of generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) in university classrooms is transforming the way people learn and teach. Faced with this new scenario, the Salesian University School of Sarrià (EUSS), an engineering university in Barcelona, has chosen to focus on training students to develop strong critical thinking skills and responsible use of these technologies. This approach is the result of a pilot program led by Salvador Bernadàs, professor in the Department of Electronics at EUSS, in one of his courses.

“AI in the classroom is a reality that we cannot ignore, but its use carries many risks if students do not know how to use it,” explains Bernadàs. For the EUSS professor, AI can help “accelerate content production,” provided that “you are already an expert in the specific field.” This is precisely the challenge for students: they often lack the experience needed to detect errors, inconsistencies, or paradoxes in tools such as ChatGPT.

For this reason, EUSS believes it is essential to “encourage reflection and critical thinking in response to AI-generated answers so that future engineers can develop professionally and successfully.”

This idea emerged from a pilot project carried out during the current academic year in the course Technical Office and Project Management. Faculty members noticed the use of AI in students’ work and assignments, which often showed what they described as “blind trust in AI responses.”

Based on these findings, the course team decided it was necessary not only to regulate the use of these tools but also to train students in how to use them responsibly. The first step was organizing a session explaining how machine-learning models function, including how training data is introduced, the role of creativity in the results they produce, and their limitations. The second measure was to apply the criteria of the American Psychological Association (APA) for the mandatory citation of content assisted or generated by AI tools.

AI Prohibited, Limited, Permitted, or Required

The pilot project has sparked interest among the entire faculty at the university. As a result, the leadership team has launched a participatory process to regulate the use of AI in the classroom and to train faculty and staff to gain deeper knowledge of these tools.

During this semester, professors have begun discussing the role AI should play in their courses. Classes have been categorized according to the degree to which these tools may be used: prohibited, limited, permitted, or required.

For the head of studies at EUSS, Víctor Martínez, this initiative has helped “open a debate that was inevitable” and begin working toward “shared criteria.” “What we have done is anticipate a structural change in higher education,” he adds.

Alongside this work, the university is also collaborating with other Salesian Institutions of Higher Education (IUS) in Europe on a research project exploring how AI is transforming the educational experience across different institutions.

“Artificial intelligence represents a paradigm shift that directly affects the relationship between teacher and student,” says Andreu Moreno, head of Pastoral Care at EUSS. “Working on this together is a strategic decision: the richness of this research lies precisely in its diversity,” he concludes.

About EUSS

With an educational tradition dating back to the late 19th century, the Salesian University School of Sarrià in Barcelona is a higher education institution whose mission is the training and holistic development of future engineers and industrial managers. The school places special emphasis on the practical dimension of studies and career placement while promoting active participation and entrepreneurial spirit among students.

EUSS has also launched the Engineering by Doing program, an educational initiative focused on developing students’ professional skills. The program emerged from a project based on consultation with the broader socio-economic environment, including business leaders, university representatives, and social stakeholders.

Source: Salesianos.info