"This should be mandatory": Generative AI and the complex interplay of professional development, AI literacy, and institutional guidelines

In response to the unprecedented disruption of generative AI (genAI), universities and organisations across the world have introduced numerous policy and guidance documents. These range from institutional policies on academic integrity, to guidance on AI-ready assessment design and AI literacy frameworks. The evolving capabilities of genAI tools mean that such guidance needs to balance generality with specificity or risk rapidly becoming obsolete. This means that staff and students often struggle in translating high-level guidance into practical action, exacerbating issues of anxiety and confusion and increasing the risk of unproductive and unethical use of genAI tools. This challenge is further intensified by the rapid pace of development in genAI tools and capabilities.

For third-space professionals responsible for developing support resources and conducting professional development workshops on gen AI, the challenge is intensified as they navigate high-level guidance, stay current with rapid advancements, and provide actionable advice to staff and students in an ever-evolving AI landscape. This situation raises several key questions for practice in facilitating intelligent transformation:

• What AI literacy frameworks exist, and how do their strengths and weaknesses influence effective professional development?
• When professional development time is limited, which AI literacy aspects should be prioritised, and which, if any, should be mandatory?
• How can professional development be effectively differentiated to meet the distinct needs of both academic and professional staff?
• How can staff be encouraged to ethically experiment with AI when access to institutionally supported tools is limited and new AI tools may involve costs or risks?
• How can learnings from professional development contribute to keeping AI literacy and institutional guidelines aligned, to ensure they are up to date with the evolving capabilities of AI tools?

The presenter reflect on these questions in the context of development and delivery of genAI support for staff at a Western Australian university, and offer practical suggestions for institutions facing similar challenges in adapting to the winds of change.