16 October 2026
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Story Rorisang Rampheteng
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Photo Supplied
The Faculty of the Humanities’ fifth Artificial Intelligence Colloquium brought together academics, students, and industry professionals to explore how artificial intelligence is reshaping teaching, learning, assessment, and critical thinking in higher education.
As artificial intelligence becomes increasingly embedded in higher education, academics at the University of the Free State are asking a fundamental question: how do universities ensure that students are thinking and not merely prompting?
The colloquium forms part of a continuing Humanities initiative by Prof Marlize Rabe, Vice-Dean: Teaching and Learning, that has created space for critical engagement with the opportunities, risks, and broader societal implications of artificial intelligence.
Rethinking assessment in an AI-driven classroom
Speaking from her experience teaching first-year Communication Science,
Dr Rentia du Plessis reflected on how the growing use of AI has challenged lecturers to reconsider whether traditional assessments still accurately measure student understanding.
To strengthen engagement with the course material, she introduced short, application-based assessments accessed via QR codes in a class of more than 700 students. These activities enabled her to identify gaps in understanding while providing students with immediate opportunities to apply key concepts.
Dr Du Plessis also demonstrated how AI can be incorporated into learning activities without replacing critical engagement. Instead of rewarding polished outputs alone, students are increasingly required to evaluate AI-generated responses, justify their decisions, and reflect on their learning processes.
“If you don't know what to check against AI, then you will never know if it is right or wrong,” she explained.
Designing assessments that prioritise reasoning
In a presentation titled Beat the Bot: Designing the Assignment for the AI Era,
Lindie Coetzee from the Department of Criminology explored practical approaches to assessment design that place reasoning and judgement at the centre of student learning.
Drawing on her experience in redesigning assessments for her Criminology module, Coetzee demonstrated how generative AI can produce convincing answers that often fail to address the specific requirements of an academic question. Rather than treating these limitations as a threat, she argued that they can become valuable teaching opportunities.
Her revised assessment approach requires students to justify their choices, evaluate alternatives, and explain their reasoning. These methods encourage deeper engagement with disciplinary knowledge while helping students develop the critical skills needed to assess information produced by both humans and machines.
“My philosophy is that you do not beat the bot by policing it. We need to start working on people’s attitudes,” she maintained.
Who thinks when AI speaks?
the Department of Philosophy & Classics examined the deeper intellectual implications of generative AI.
In his presentation, Who Thinks When AI Speaks? In The False Aura of Artificial Neutrality and the Conditions of Thought, he argued that artificial intelligence does more than generate answers. It can also influence the way users frame questions, define problems, and interpret information.
Dr Amiradakis cautioned against accepting AI-generated content as neutral or objective simply because it is presented confidently. Instead, he encouraged students and academics to interrogate the assumptions underlying digital tools and to remain active participants in the process of knowledge creation.
“Determining the problem is itself part of the work of thought,” he observed.
He further challenged participants to consider whether independent judgement can be maintained when technology increasingly mediates how people understand and evaluate information.
Apart from the focused contributions by lecturers, a student panel deliberated on the role of AI in leisure activities. Two postgraduate students, Reatile Moncho (a doctoral student in history) and Stephan Lombaard (an honours student in communication science) respectively focused on the general roles of AI in leisure and AI in the global world of chess. Under the leadership of the Faculty Student Council, many undergraduate students reflected on how AI is part of their daily lives. A presentation by Chocolate Tribe – a company focused on animation and content development – ended the colloquium by demonstrating the importance of human connection in AI-generated productions.
Building responsible futures through AI literacy
The discussions reflected the Faculty of The Humanities’ broader commitment to preparing students for a world in which artificial intelligence is becoming an increasingly influential part of professional and academic life. Through continuing initiatives, including AI literacy discussions, guideline development, staff engagement, and student training, the faculty seeks to promote the ethical and responsible use of emerging technologies.
The colloquium highlighted that the future of assessment will depend not only on adapting to technological change, but also on strengthening the distinctly human capacities that universities exist to cultivate – critical thinking, intellectual curiosity, ethical judgement, and independent reasoning.
As artificial intelligence continues to reshape higher education, the message from The Humanities was clear. Technology may assist learning, but meaningful education still depends on the ability to question, evaluate, and think for oneself.