University of Phoenix Launches Phoenix AI Research Group to Advance Generative AI in Education
The University of Phoenix College of Doctoral Studies has announced the creation of the Phoenix AI Research Group, a new initiative under its Center for Educational and Instructional Technology Research (CEITR). This group is dedicated to expanding knowledge and responsible application of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in education, strongly focusing on supporting higher education institutions.
“Our goal is to explore the impact of AI, address its challenges, and promote responsible usage,” said Dr. Mansureh Kebritchi, CEITR chair and founder of the initiative. “We aim to empower the academic community by conducting AI research, offering valuable resources, and nurturing a vibrant AI network.”
The Phoenix AI Research Group is conducting forward-looking projects in areas such as AI-assisted teaching and learning, human-AI cognitive collaboration, AI in research processes, administrative applications, and the ethical and societal dimensions of AI in education.
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Key Ongoing GenAI Projects Include:
- Cognitive Implications of Human-AI Interactions (2025): Investigates how AI systems and human cognition interact in processes like learning and decision-making.
- Student and Faculty Support (2024–2025): Examines faculty perspectives on using AI for academic support.
- Alternative Assessments to Prevent Plagiarism (2025): Focuses on creating new evaluation methods to counter academic dishonesty.
- AI-Powered Research Tools: Aims to identify AI technologies that assist in research tasks such as literature reviews, data gathering, and hypothesis development.
Completed Projects
The group has already made contributions, such as a study on AI-enhanced creativity and productivity in doctoral research presented at the 2024 AECT conference, and a 2023 project on using GenAI in online higher education courses, also shared at AECT.
Expanding AI Access and Community Building
The Phoenix AI Research Group also provides practical resources through its Generative AI Academic Resources site, including:
- Curated AI tools for education.
- Best practices and guidelines for using AI in course design, instruction, and assessment.
To foster collaboration, the group hosts webinars and workshops, connecting researchers, educators, and industry experts to discuss challenges and share insights. “We’re committed to creating a collaborative environment that encourages interdisciplinary AI research,” added Kebritchi.
