A Generative AI-Based Learning and Teaching Model for Sustainable Higher Education: Rethinking the Teaching Role in the AI Era

Abstract

Generative AI (GenAI) is transforming education, particularly in disciplines where teaching has traditionally relied on lectures, tutorials, presentations, discussions, and laboratory-based activities. This transformation raises an important question: Do university instructors continue to play a central role in the classroom in an era where GenAI can explain and elaborate on concepts better than humans? This paper argues that GenAI is not merely a supporting tool but a disruptive force that challenges traditional teaching models. Consequently, the instructor’s role needs to shift from knowledge transmission to the creation of new knowledge and the evaluation of learning outcomes. The paper proposes a GenAI-based teaching and learning model and discusses its implications. The proposed model contributes to the social sustainability of higher education by reinforcing the continued relevance of the instructor’s role while promoting equitable, inclusive, and student-centred learning in the age of GenAI.