SIS is pleased to announce PhD candidate Godwin Akrong as FRQSC recipient!

Congratulations to Godwin Akrong, PhD in Information Studies student at the School of Information Studies (McGill University), has received a Fonds de Recherche du Québec - Société et culture. The FRQSC scholarship is awarded on basis of research and academic merit.

Godwin’s Research:

As artificial intelligence (AI), especially generative AI (GenAI) (e.g., ChatGPT and Copilot), becomes more ubiquitous in higher-education institutions, individuals are diligently focused on identifying and leveraging its benefits, while also mitigating its risks. Despite the prevalence of GenAI in higher education, users still largely foster distrust toward these systems, making it imperative to explain why this is the case. Using a well-established organizational trust model developed by Mayer, Davis, and Schoorman, Godwin’s research seeks to explain the trust that students and instructors place in GenAI systems, together with building a better understanding of the perceived risks and outcomes related to its use. The findings of this research are useful to higher-education institutions in Quebec and Canada in guiding the development and application of GenAI. Specifically, the results will assist in developing clear guidelines and policies on AI use and identify the benefits and risks associated with GenAI for students and instructors. Additionally, it will assist in developing materials to instruct students on AI literacy, ethics, and responsible use, and aid in AI development and design.