Assessing AI Readiness: Exploring Tertiary Health Science Educators' Preparedness for Integrating Artificial Intelligence in Higher Education

Artificial intelligence (AI) is rapidly transforming education and healthcare and education, offering innovative solutions that enhance learning outcomes and improve patient care.
As AI technologies continue to reshape the educational landscape, it is becoming increasingly crucial for tertiary educators to develop AI readiness. This readiness encompasses the skills, knowledge, and attitudes necessary to effectively incorporate AI into teaching methodologies and prepare students for an AI-augmented future. Educators need to grasp AI fundamentals, understand ethical considerations such as data privacy, and learn how to integrate AI tools into their practices. Developing critical thinking skills to evaluate AI's impact on learning outcomes is also essential. Given the rapid pace of AI advancements, educators must commit to ongoing professional development to stay current with emerging technologies and best practices. By focusing on these areas, educators can effectively prepare students for the future, leveraging AI to enhance teaching and learning while maintaining the essential human elements of education.
This project will utilise a predominantly quantitative method, incorporating qualitative aspects, through online surveys to evaluate the readiness of using AI from health science educators across Australian universities. The research will explore educators' AI literacy, attitudes towards AI integration, perceived barriers, and support needs. By analysing these factors, we aim to develop a comprehensive framework for enhancing AI readiness in health science education.
The findings will inform targeted professional development programs and make policy recommendations to universities and other higher education providers to develop a framework for the use of AI by educators. Preparing educators to effectively use AI ensures that future health professionals gain the essential skills and knowledge to succeed in a healthcare system that increasingly relies on AI technologies. This research represents a critical step towards future-proofing health science education and maximising the benefits of AI for both educators and students.

The project "Assessing AI Readiness: Exploring Tertiary Health Science Educators' Preparedness for Integrating Artificial Intelligence in Higher Education" aligns closely with HERDSA's mission and goals in several ways. Firstly, it advances educational practice by exploring the readiness of health science educators to integrate AI into their teaching, thereby contributing to HERDSA's aim of enhancing educational policy and practice in the higher education sector. Secondly, the project promotes and enhances teaching and learning in an increasingly AI-driven educational landscape, ensuring that educators are equipped to navigate these changes effectively. Additionally, this study encourages and disseminates research on higher education teaching, learning, and development, particularly in the context of emerging technologies. Lastly, findings from this research will assist HERDSA members in their ongoing professional development, especially in adapting to AI-enhanced educational environments.