How teachers build trust with students in the presence of GenAI

Abstract

Trust is a prerequisite for successful learning.  From previous work we know that teachers use multiple  strategies to build trust with students – for example to  demonstrate knowledge, skill and competence, or showing  interpersonal care and concern. We also know from students  that they trust teachers who ask, listen, and respond. But since  we conducted those studies, Generative Artificial Intelligence  (GenAI) tools have become universally available and are now  used by students and teachers. Although both groups are well  aware that GenAI is likely used both within their own and in  the other group, there are only few conversations between  teachers and students where either talk transparently and in  detail about how they use GenAI. We suspect that the presence  of GenAI – fuelled by a lack of conversations about use –  influences trust in the relationship between teachers and  students.

We conducted focus group interviews with teachers at LU to  hear about their experience with and perspective on GenAI  usage, both their own and their students’, and to understand  the impact that they think the presence of GenAI has on their  relationships with students. We find that teachers generally  think a lot about GenAI and their influence on teaching and  assessment practices but are often unsure what to do about  them.

In this manuscript, we link these uncertainties to our  previous work on trust-building and present a collection of  suggested “trust moves” based on what teacher report doing  already or think might work, to start the conversation of how  we can make sure to continue building trusting relationships  with students.