Design and validation criteria for GenAI in higher education: A scoping review and educator checklist

Generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) is rapidly being integrated into higher education, yet educators and institutions lack consolidated, evidence-based guidance for determining when GenAI is appropriate, selecting suitable technologies, designing their pedagogical use, implementing them responsibly, and evaluating their educational value. Existing educational technology frameworks predate contemporary GenAI, while GenAI-specific guidance remains fragmented across pedagogical, technical, ethical, governance, and technology-adoption perspectives. This scoping review, conducted according to the Arksey and O'Malley framework and reported according to PRISMA-ScR, therefore aimed to identify criteria reported in the literature to inform the selection, design, implementation, and evaluation of GenAI-supported educational interventions in higher education and to integrate them into a preliminary lifecycle framework. ERIC, Scopus, and Web of Science were searched for peer-reviewed articles published between January 2023 and April 2025. Best-fit framework synthesis (BFFS) combined hybrid deductive–inductive thematic analysis a two-stage approach whereby an a priori framework is formulated from 45 relevant ("best fit") publications and then screened against 55 primary research studies to check for new themes and produce the final framework. The resulting ADDIE-informed framework organizes tangible, implementable criteria across Analyze, Design, Develop, Implement, and Evaluate stages and distinguishes adoption of existing tools, configuration or adaptation of existing platforms, and bespoke development as alternative implementation routes. Core pedagogical, contextual, implementation, and evaluation criteria apply across routes, whereas technical architecture, development, maintenance, and system-validation criteria are conditional. The framework provides an evidence-informed starting point for responsible GenAI integration in higher education, accessible to educators, developers, and institutional stakeholders alike.