AI in the Public Policy Classroom

The views expressed are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of ASPA as an organization.

By Cara Robinson
August 26, 2024

Questions surrounding AI and ethics, AI and engagement, AI and government—basically, AI and anything—have been on the forefront of informal and formal public discussion over the last 1.5 years. The use and subsequent impacts of AI are seen across all aspects of public life from traffic monitoring to speech writing to data analysis to service provision. The prevalence of AI creates a reality that challenges norms and procedures in a variety of fields and the world of public policy education is no different. 

Overall, education faces significant challenges and a plethora of opportunities as it deals with the realities of AI use and access. Students can use essay prompts to write papers, analyze information, document sources, design slide presentations and research topics at little to no cost. Higher education leaders are attempting to get ahead of the curve through the rollout of AI detection software, the development of AI usage policies/procedures and the integration of AI into the classroom as a partner in education and learning. AI, however, moves at a fast clip that can result in a mismatch of AI availability and access versus higher education AI infrastructure. This mismatch results in questions for education in general but what about public policy education specifically?

The first impacts of AI on public policy education are obvious; curricula must include modules, lessons and activities on the landscape of public policy (e.g. local governance ordinances, school board decisions, legislative actions etc.) that directly cover AI as technology. Students must understand how policymakers are responding to encroaching AI technology as a tool in society’s operations. Like many new tools that enter society’s public sphere, this results in regulation.  It is essential for public policy education that students understand the role that regulation has on institutions, communities and the government structure itself. This is no different that education on the nuance of any public policy area.  Where AI demands specific, unique attention is in the daily operation of the classroom, the ethical realities of AI usage and how AI can be utilized to promote student learning, professional development and address inclusivity.     

Daily Operation of the Classroom

Public policy educators have to think about AI in two ways when it comes to the daily operation of the classroom; 1) Logistics and classroom management and 2) AI as the topic of discussion as it pertains to the use of AI in the public policy process. With respect to logistics and classroom management, public policy educators are in the same boat as their colleagues in other disciplines—how do we manage AI-sourced submissions, what are some concrete policies and procedures we can put in place to effectively mold the use of AI in the classroom, how can we use AI in class discussions and activities to enhance learning? AI as a tool in the public policy process, however, is where unique public policy-based conversations must be had.

AI is currently used in many domains of the public policy process: 1) community engagement; 2) data analysis; 3) predictive modeling; 4) funding decision-making; 5) information visualization; 6) communication; 7) legislative advocacy; and 8) policy feedback and assessment.

Program curriculum should integrate these topics into the established content of courses. Further, governments and other key stakeholders use AI through a variety of different applications, through diverse approaches, and with uneven levels of sophistication. Public policy students must understand the complexity of the AI landscape in policymaking and the questions about the ethical considerations it raises.  

Ethical Realities of AI Usage

A significant factor in the discussion and use of AI in the public policy classroom is the discussion of ethics. Is it ethical to use AI in community engagement? Is it ethical to use AI in police work or public education or policy analysis? These questions and the potential answers are constantly evolving.  Concerns regarding privacy, bias, regulation, inclusiveness, transparency and more abound. Classroom activities must not only center on these ethics discussions but also, based on ethical practices, the proper implementation of AI in policy-based activities. Students must be knowledgeable and skillful on how to use AI while adhering to ethical standards and maintaining those standards as the world of AI changes. 

Promote Student Learning and Professional Development

Given the infusion of AI in the educational sector and the usage of AI for research, classrooms are finding unique ways to use AI to promote student learning and professional/career development. Teaching students how to properly prompt AI to gain appropriate answers is an important skill while ensuring that students whose goal is the public policy sector are exposed to the diverse tools available—their pros and cons, specific purposes, cost, inclusiveness etc. Developing class activities and assignments that integrate these skill and knowledge needs can result in graduating students with the background necessary to enter the workforce. Further, policies and procedures to assignments should include specific directions on acceptable AI usage so that students learn the parameters of that usage prior to submission. 

Tennessee State University

Tennessee State University is one of the leaders in AI education. Via the TSU SMART Center, AI Fellows program and AI policies/appropriate classroom language, TSU works with faculty and students alike to understand how AI can enhance student learning, faculty development, classroom activities and discipline-specific needs. 

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Author: Cara Robinson, Ph.D. Is the Department Chair for the Department of Social Work and Urban Studies in the College of Public Service at Tennessee State University.  She is also an Associate Professor of Urban Studies and the Co-Director of the TSU Center on Aging Research and Education Services.   

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