The 49th SEARCA Online Learning and Virtual Engagements (SOLVE) webinar held on 17 March 2025 featured Dr. Reinald Adrian Pugoy, who discussed artificial intelligence's (AI) transformative role in education in his talk, "Adopt & Adapt: Navigating AI Integration in Schools and Universities."
Dr. Pugoy is the Director of the Information and Communication Technology Development Office and an Associate Professor of the Faculty of Information and Communication Studies, both in the University of the Philippines Open University (UPOU).
Dr. Pugoy highlighted AI's ability to streamline tasks, enhance productivity, accelerate research, and drive innovation. He also underscored AI's role in tackling global challenges like climate modeling and resource management while improving accessibility. However, he cautioned against risks such as misinformation, reduced critical thinking, biased decision-making, privacy concerns, and potential misuse in cyberattacks and deepfakes. He emphasized the need for responsible AI integration to maximize benefits while mitigating threats.
Dr. Pugoy urged educators to adopt AI wisely and adapt strategies for responsible use, outlining four key approaches: (1) strategic AI integration in education, (2) empowering educators in the age of AI, (3) AI governance for ethical and secure use, and (4) human-centric AI.
As a strategy, he said that administrators must understand AI's capabilities and limitations to effectively integrate it into the school environment. He suggested establishing a schoolwide or classroomwide AI policy with clear guidelines and protocols, defining when and how AI is used. As an example, he proposed three types on AI use in the classroom: (1) unrestricted use, wherein students may freely use AI tools without limitations; (2) conditional use, wherein students are allowed to use AI tools under specific conditions, such as requiring prior approval from the teacher or mandatory acknowledgement of use; and (3) prohibited use, wherein students are entirely disallowed to use AI tools in any capacity.
Dr. Pugoy presented the UPOU Guidelines on the Use of AI in Teaching and Learning, released in 2024. The document sets ethical standards for AI usage and outlines support mechanisms for educators, staff, and students to prepare the academic community for the evolving AI technological landscape. He stressed that AI should never be used for harmful or illegal purposes.
As AI tools advance, detecting AI-generated content remains unreliable. Dr. Pugoy noted that no universal definition of AI-written text exists, and detection tools often yield false positives and negatives.
To empower educators and administrators, he explained that they first need to understand how AI works and receive comprehensive training in AI tools. "Continuous support to educators and administrators can reduce resistance and foster enthusiasm for its potential," he said.
For AI governance, Dr. Pugoy encouraged the administrators to ensure that AI systems are secure, compliant with privacy regulations, and promote fairness and inclusivity in education.
Moreover, for a human-centric AI, he emphasized the importance of human oversight in AI use to evaluate and refine outputs. "AI, particularly generative AI, is prone to hallucinations and errors, making human oversight necessary," he added. He said that AI-generated suggestions should be treated as a starting point, not the final word. While AI enhances efficiency, he emphasized that it should serve as an assistant, not a substitute for human experts. He reiterated that AI-generated content must be evaluated critically, as no AI model is entirely accurate.
Dr. Pugoy concluded that AI is here to stay, making school-specific AI frameworks and policies essential.
The webinar attracted over 1,000 participants from the Philippines, and beyond, including attendees from Africa, Asia, Europe, North America, and Oceania.
