Collaborating with ChatGPT in the classroom: a graduate student’s reflection

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.47408/jldhe.vi38.1602

Keywords:

generative AI, higher education, pedagogical innovation, learning development

Abstract

This reflection offers a student perspective on integrating generative artificial intelligence (AI) in graduate education, focusing on collaboration rather than replacement. Drawing on my experience in a doctoral seminar on the intellectual history of educational technology, I examine four key instructional practices that shaped meaningful AI use: conceptual framing, reading-based discussions, a quote juxtaposition assignment, and live demonstrations. These experiences illuminate how AI can act as a thought partner—challenged, refined, and co-opted to surface complexity and multiple perspectives. In doing so, the reflection contributes to conversations about AI in higher education by highlighting the learner’s perspective and pedagogical possibilities when technology is approached as a collaborator rather than a shortcut.

Author Biography

Yulu Hou, Michigan State University

Yulu Hou is a doctoral student in the Higher, Adult, and Lifelong Education (HALE) program at Michigan State University, USA. She holds a bachelor’s degree in Philosophy from Peking University, China, and a Master of Arts in Education from the University of California, Los Angeles. Trained in philosophy and the social sciences, she approaches research with critical insight and interdisciplinary rigor. Her current work engages themes of care, temporality, and technology in higher and adult education.

References

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Published

11-12-2025

How to Cite

Hou, Y. (2025). Collaborating with ChatGPT in the classroom: a graduate student’s reflection. Journal of Learning Development in Higher Education, (38). https://doi.org/10.47408/jldhe.vi38.1602

Issue

No. 38 (2025)

Section

Opinion Pieces

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