Integrating the Ethical and Societal Impacts of GenAI in the Classroom

Why It Matters

Embedding AI ethics and flexible, competency‑based pathways equips students for a rapidly evolving job market and ensures higher education remains relevant amid generative AI disruption.

Key Takeaways

• AI literacy must start early, akin to digital literacy.
• Ethical AI use taught as assistant, not replacement.
• Proposes "learnity" units to replace fixed courses in curricula.
• Learnity graphs map individualized, evolving learning pathways for students.
• Early industry certificates accelerate graduate entry into workforce.

Summary

The ACM webinar explored how educators can weave ethical and societal considerations of generative AI into curricula. Dean Enrio Pontelli and Professor Judith Galazer described their institutions’ approaches, emphasizing that AI literacy should be introduced as early as primary school, mirroring the rollout of digital literacy.

Key insights included the need for students to understand prompting, critical evaluation, data privacy, and human‑AI collaboration. Galazer argued that traditional, static degree programs cannot keep pace with rapid AI advances, proposing a modular "learnity" unit that bundles knowledge, skills, industry experience, and ethics. These learnities are linked in a "learnity graph," a personalized map of competencies that evolves with each learner.

Examples illustrated the concept: a second‑year student named Maya’s graph combined foundational CS courses with industry testing experience, while Galazer’s daughter Sadar’s graph spanned undergraduate study, a startup stint, and a master’s in technology education. Galazer also shared her own experiment using AI tools to draft presentation slides, highlighting both the convenience and the loss of personal voice.

The proposed shift promises flexible pathways, early certification, and continuous recognition of achievements, enabling graduates to enter the workforce with demonstrable, up‑to‑date skills. For institutions, it means rethinking curriculum design, fostering tighter academia‑industry loops, and embedding lifelong learning as a core outcome.

Original Description

Title: Integrating the Ethical and Societal Impacts of GenAI in the Classroom

Date: June 3, 2026

Duration: 1HR

SPEAKER

Enrico Pontelli, New Mexico State University

SPEAKER

Judith Gal-Ezer, Open University of Israel

MODERATOR

Paul Leidig, Grand Valley State University (retired)

MODERATOR

Tom Cortina, Carnegie Mellon University

ABSTRACT

This is the fifth in a series of webinars from the ACM Ethical and Societal Impacts of GenAI taskforce, part of the ACM Education Advisory Committee.

In this webinar, we explore a diverse range of perspectives of higher computing education departments and how they are integrating the critical topic of ethical and societal impacts of Generative AI. We will delve into questions such as: What are some key considerations related to integrating ethical and societal impacts of GenAI? Have you found a course-specific approach effective, or integration that is spiraled in throughout the degree program? What innovative approaches has your college/department taken in this area?