Reconceptualizing Student agency of Adult Learners in Universities in the AI Era : Focusing on Levinas's Philosophy

This study aims to analyze the limitations of existing student agency through the learning experiences of adult university students in the AI era and to explore a reconceptualized meaning of student agency from the perspective of Emmanuel Levinas's philosophy of the Other. Semi-structured in-depth interviews were conducted with eight adult university students who had experience using AI in their learning. Narratives emerging from their learning experiences were collected and analyzed, employing Levinas's philosophy as a theoretical lens. The findings revealed two central themes and six core categories. 'Limitations of Student Agency in the AI Era' manifested as limitations of agency confined to a totalizing perspective, limitations of excessive autonomy, and limitations of AI as a facilitator. 'Meanings of Other-oriented Student Agency in the AI Era' comprised subjectivity as an orientation toward the Infinite, subjectivity grounded in the responsibility to respond, and subjectivity that respects otherness. Adult learners acknowledged the efficiency of AI while experiencing genuine growth through learning that involved encounters and dialogue with others. This study presents possibilities for a new form of student agency that respects otherness, moving beyond the prevailing autonomy-centered perspective.