Is 2024 the year lectures die?

Professor Rod McNaughton

9 January 2024

Artificial Intelligence is set to significantly impact every facet of modern life, including tertiary education. In this Op Ed, Professor Rod McNaughton, Academic Director of the University of Auckland Business School’s Centre for Innovation and Entrepreneurship (CIE) asks – is 2024 the year lectures die?

2024 is set to be a watershed year in the realm of education, with the potential demise of traditional lectures at the hands of emerging AI technologies. These tools offer seamless notetaking, Q&A sessions, study card generation, mock exams, and immediate feedback. The value proposition of one such product is “never have to ask a question in class again”.

And, of course, with many universities having mandatory lecture recordings, students need not even attend the lectures; they can have their AI process the video to create perfectly structured lecture notes, answer questions, and prepare for assessments and examinations.

These tools raise the question of whether, having removed the primary learning mechanisms from the lecture environment, such as identifying key concepts and relationships during notetaking, asking questions, and debating with instructors and peers, it is time to abandon lectures as the dominant pedagogy in higher education.

Occasional lectures will still serve a valuable role but as well-crafted special events, rather than the primary day-to-day means of interaction between educators and their students.

With the traditional lecture model under threat, several innovative and more personalised forms of learning are on the rise. As lectures wain, expect to see more:

1. Personalized Online Education: Utilizing AI, education can be tailored to each student’s learning style, pace, and interests. This model offers customised modules, adaptive learning paths, and interactive content that responds to the learner’s progress and performance.

2. Project-Based Learning: This student-led pedagogy involves students actively exploring real-world problems and challenges, often culminating in a final project or presentation. It emphasises critical thinking, problem-solving, and collaboration.

3. Experiential Learning: Emphasizing learning through experience, this approach involves hands-on activities and real-life problem-solving, encouraging learners to apply knowledge in practical settings. Rather than the artificial environment of the university classroom, learning occurs in more authentic settings during internships, service-learning experiences, and exchanges.

4. Research-Based Learning (RBL): In this approach, students engage in self-directed research on real-world problems, developing critical thinking and problem-solving skills. They explore topics in-depth, enhancing subject knowledge and practical skills like data analysis and communication. RBL prepares students for real-world challenges by promoting active, inquiry-based learning.

We will also see more:

Microlearning: Focused on small learning units and short-term activities, microlearning is a strategy that offers bite-sized content to learners, making it easier to understand and retain information. It’s often used in conjunction with online education for quick and accessible learning and is ripe for AI-enhanced development and delivery.

Competency-Based Education (CBE): This approach allows students to advance based on their ability to master a skill or competency at their own pace, regardless of the environment. CBE is an ideal framework for online AI-assisted personalised learning journeys.

Microlearning and CBE enabled by AI are potent educational mixes, especially if used to develop skills alongside more complex and authentic learning experiences like internships, service-learning experiences, or involvement in research projects.

CIE offers numerous co-curricular introductory courses in Artificial Intelligence throughout the year, free to all current students and staff of Waipapa Taumata Rau, the University of Auckland. Get notified about upcoming courses when semester starts – sign up to our weekly newsletter.