Artificial Intelligence in Academic Decision-Making and Students’ Recordkeeping: A Case of an ODeL University

Abstract

The integration of artificial intelligence (AI) into higher education is reshaping traditional processes of academic decision-making and students’ recordkeeping. This study explores the use of AI in academic decision–making and students’ recordkeeping at Zimbabwe Open University (ZOU). A qualitative research methodology was adopted along with purposive sampling technique in which a sample of 5 heads of sections who deal with students’ recordkeeping were chosen as they have knowledge about the problem at hand.  Data collected were analysed in thematic strands. Findings underscore that at ZOU, AI is being used to generate educational materials such as study guides, quizzes, automate administrative tasks like students grading as well as in other e-learning platforms such as My Vista, students support services, coursework material preparation and writing by students, data analytics and in widespread research. The study concludes that while AI offers significant opportunities to improve the management of students’ recordkeeping and academic decisions, its deployment must be guided by ethical principles, legal compliance, and capacity-building initiatives to maximise benefits and mitigate risks. The study recommends the need for human oversight, inclusive data practices and robust governance frameworks to ensure fairness and accountability in AI-enabled academic decision-making and students’ recordkeeping.