Pedagogical Adaptation in AI-Enhanced PADD Collaborative Classrooms: A Qualitative Study of University Teachers in Higher Education

Abstract

Teaching and learning practices are taking a new shape, changing the direction of higher education. However, much of the focus has been on examining acceptance of artificial intelligence (AI) and technological readiness among teachers. This has left scope for pedagogical adaptations to be explored during classroom implementation. The present study explores teachers' adaptation of their pedagogy in integrating generative AI into Presentation-Assimilation-Discussion-Development (PADD) collaborative classrooms. Data were collected using semi-structured interviews with 15 university teachers belonging to diverse disciplinary backgrounds. Reflexive thematic analysis was used to analyse the data, guided by Social Constructivism and the Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge (TPACK) framework. The findings show that teachers restructured instructional practices by integrating AI into their teaching via pedagogically informed decisions. Also, teachers perceived that generative AI could promote shared inquiry, reflection, and collaborative communication. Finally, the participants also perceived their professional identity as evolving and characterised by context-dependent decision-making and ethical accountability. These findings show that teachers' sense of responsibility was crucial to maintaining educational value in the face of AI. Also, meaningful generative AI integration is a process of pedagogical adaptation rather than technology adoption alone. Overall, this study contributes empirical evidence on AI-enhanced teaching in PADD classrooms. It also offers practical guidance for professional development of teachers to ensure pedagogically informed integration of AI in higher education.