Harnessing AI for Enhancing Student Support Services

The Case Study of the University of the South Pacific

Authors

  • Rajni Chand Director for Centre for Flexible Learning at the University of the South Pacific
  • Raveena Goundar Doctoral student in Arts at the University of the South Pacific

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.26034/fr.jehe.2024.6867

Keywords:

University of the South Pacific, generative AI technology, student learning support, education and emerging technologies

Abstract

In the unique educational landscape of small island countries in the Pacific, the University of the South Pacific (USP) has embarked on an innovative approach to augmenting student support services by integrating Generative AI technology. This initiative specifically caters to its diverse and dispersed student body across 12 countries and five time zones, addressing a critical need for accessible and empathetic support systems in higher education. To do so, the Semester Zero, an online preparatory course using GPT 3.5-Turbo, was created. Designed for all incoming students, it showcased the potential of AI to enhance student support services in institutions with far less challenging environments than USP.

Author Biographies

Rajni Chand, Director for Centre for Flexible Learning at the University of the South Pacific

Dr Rajni Kaushal Chand is the Director for CFL at USP in Suva Fiji. She has been with USP for over 25 years as a student, teacher, researcher and course coordinator. She has travelled extensively in the USP region and internationally and has in-depth knowledge on Open and Distance Learning (ODL) for small and developing South Pacific regional countries. She has presented her research findings at various international ODL, Applied Linguistics and Indian Diaspora conferences.  Dr Rajni Chand has also worked in the course development and editing sections for USP’s Distance Learning section.

Dr Rajni Chand holds a PhD in Applied Linguistics from the University of Otago. She received a position in the Commonwealth of Learning (COL) Women and Leadership in ODL training program and has been appointed a mentor in the COL’s Commonwealth Wise Women mentoring programme. She is the regional director for PACFOLD-the Pacific Centre for Flexible and Open Learning for Development in the South Pacific. She is also a member of Board of Trustees for femLinkPacific; a major regional feminist media NGO. She has recently been appointed as one of the Global Vice Presidents of Sun Moon University.

Email: rajni.chand@usp.ac.fj 

Raveena Goundar , Doctoral student in Arts at the University of the South Pacific

Ms. Raveena Goundar is a dedicated Student Learning Specialist at the University of the South Pacific (USP). Since 2021, Ms. Goundar has served as the Project Lead for the Semester Zero project, driving innovation in course design and implementation to support incoming students. Ms. Goundar also works closely with the Commonwealth of Learning (COL), collaborating on several projects aimed at fostering academic excellence and digital innovation at USP. Currently, Ms. Goundar is pursuing a PhD in Arts at USP, further deepening her expertise and commitment to higher education in the Pacific region.

Email: raveenagoundar@icloud.com

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Published

2024-12-30

How to Cite

Chand, R., & Goundar , R. (2024). Harnessing AI for Enhancing Student Support Services: The Case Study of the University of the South Pacific. Journal of Ethics in Higher Education, (5), 145–158. https://doi.org/10.26034/fr.jehe.2024.6867

Issue

No. 5 (2024): Ethics in Open and Distance Education

Section

Thematic Articles

License

Copyright (c) 2024 Rajni Chand, Raveena Goundar

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