Decolonising GenAI use: formative assessment to stimulate critical thinking in International Development courses

TY - GEN

T1 - Decolonising GenAI use

T2 - formative assessment to stimulate critical thinking in International Development courses

AU - Guldberg, Christoffer

PY - 2025/2/24

Y1 - 2025/2/24

N2 - This blog post presents an innovative assessment approach that leverages AI-generated outputs—particularly visual search results—to foster critical thinking around core concepts in social sciences and humanities courses. Grounded in the author’s ongoing work on decolonising AI and applying theories of Henri Bergson and Paulo Freire, the method guides students to interrogate historical and colonial influences embedded in AI-generated representations of ideas such as ‘migrants,’ ‘refugees,’ and ‘drug traffickers.’ After choosing a concept and generating AI outputs, students collaboratively analyze how biases (including racial and gendered stereotypes) can be perpetuated by predictive technologies. They then produce creative “memes” that critically remix these AI results, sparking classroom discussions on bias, conceptual framing, and digital literacy. The approach is highly participatory and inclusive, supporting learners from diverse language backgrounds and skill levels. Formative feedback is provided iteratively through in-class dialogue, enhancing student engagement and enjoyment. Benefits include high attendance, deepened critical awareness, and stronger ties between theoretical knowledge and real-world contexts, while challenges—like uneven digital literacy—become opportunities for further reflection. The post concludes with next steps in formalizing this assessment approach and disseminating it through workshops, presentations, and podcasts to encourage wider adoption within higher education contexts.

AB - This blog post presents an innovative assessment approach that leverages AI-generated outputs—particularly visual search results—to foster critical thinking around core concepts in social sciences and humanities courses. Grounded in the author’s ongoing work on decolonising AI and applying theories of Henri Bergson and Paulo Freire, the method guides students to interrogate historical and colonial influences embedded in AI-generated representations of ideas such as ‘migrants,’ ‘refugees,’ and ‘drug traffickers.’ After choosing a concept and generating AI outputs, students collaboratively analyze how biases (including racial and gendered stereotypes) can be perpetuated by predictive technologies. They then produce creative “memes” that critically remix these AI results, sparking classroom discussions on bias, conceptual framing, and digital literacy. The approach is highly participatory and inclusive, supporting learners from diverse language backgrounds and skill levels. Formative feedback is provided iteratively through in-class dialogue, enhancing student engagement and enjoyment. Benefits include high attendance, deepened critical awareness, and stronger ties between theoretical knowledge and real-world contexts, while challenges—like uneven digital literacy—become opportunities for further reflection. The post concludes with next steps in formalizing this assessment approach and disseminating it through workshops, presentations, and podcasts to encourage wider adoption within higher education contexts.

KW - AI (artificial intelligence)

KW - Critical Approaches

KW - Decolonial Pedagogy

KW - Active learning

KW - art

KW - visual methods

M3 - Article

JO - Assessment for Learning at King's

JF - Assessment for Learning at King's

PB - Kings College London, University of London

ER -