Abstract:

Humanity communicates via cognitive, linguistic, and cultural capacity, through language, culture, and education. The ability to communicate gives meaning to life, and humanity’s pursuit of unalienable rights of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness as outlined in the United States (U.S.) Declaration of Independence. On a global level, Article 26 of the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights speaks to humanity’s right to education, free and compulsory at the elementary and fundamental stage, directed to development of personality and strengthening respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms, promoting understanding, tolerance and friendship among nations, races, and religions.

The lure of equal opportunity in the U.S. has resulted in a nation of diversity in age, ancestry, ability, gender, ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation, and/or socioeconomic status. A shift in the U.S. demographic composition shows the decline of the birth rates for the White population and an increase in birth rates for the Hispanic and Asian population. 1 in 10 people spoke a language other than English in their homes. In 2019, this rose to 1 in 5; a dramatic shift of 194% over 39 years, resulting in a demographic shift in classrooms.

In the U.S., the trifecta of political and demographic shifts, rapidity of AI diffusion, and disparity of assessment and standards of the current education system from pre-kindergarten through college provides both challenges and opportunities for educators at all levels. The establishment of English as a national language in the U.S. on March 1, 2025 is at a crossroads as the composition of K-12 classrooms reflects, the radical shift in U.S. population dynamics. Higher education classrooms are also increasing in linguistic diversity as international students, and LOTE (Languages Other Than English) students enter university classrooms. The profound impact of Artificial Intelligence (AI), specifically generative AI (GAI), is dramatically altering how students navigate academic content. This raises educational challenges related to concepts of academic rigor, plagiarism, trust, validity, and ethics in education.

Faculty narratives expressed frustration with current usage of GAI; particularly for written assignments, and concerns about multiple language learners’ (MLLs) capability of analyzing the accuracy of GAI-generated content. The inherent bias in language models, inequity in access to technology, and comprehension of ethical usage of GAI were also raised. This research explores faculty perceptions of MLLs in the classroom. Using a qualitative narrative approach, semi-structured interviews were conducted with computing faculty members at a New York state university. The analysis focused on perceived challenges in MLLs’ classroom participation, communication, and the use of Generative AI in academic work.

The expressed concerns of faculty validate the need for the development of a socially responsible taxonomy for artificial intelligence can serve as foundation for establishing an equitable, ethical, inclusive classification system to oversee Artificial Intelligence (AI) development and its usage in the U.S. education system. An equitable, accessible, and ethically responsible education system will ensure the development of productive members of society.

Keywords:

Generative AI, Multiple Language Learners, Ethics, Pedagogy.