“Co-Pilot” Rather Than “Autopilot”: The Boundaries of Generative AI’s Integration and Instructional Design in University Information Technology Courses at Chinese Liberal Arts and Law Universities

Abstract

The widespread adoption of generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) presents an opportunity for liberal arts and law universities in China to overcome traditional challenges in university information technology courses, but it also carries the risk of AI “taking the wheel” and replacing students’ cognitive processes. Based on the academic characteristics of liberal arts students in Chinese law and political science universities–-namely, weak foundational skills in mathematics and science and severe tech anxiety–-this paper proposes positioning GenAI as a “co-pilot” in classroom instruction. By defining the boundaries of GenAI’s intervention in terms of cognitive load, decision-making authority, and ethical norms, this paper constructs a three-tier instructional design model comprising “AI scaffolding for dimensional reduction,” “Socratic dialogue,” and “human-machine dialectical debate.” It further elaborates on the specific applications of this model in curriculum restructuring and classroom implementation. Teaching practice has demonstrated that this design can transform students’ cognitive roles from passive “code recipients” to active “AI reviewers” and “logical architects.” While breaking down technological barriers, it effectively safeguards the educational objectives of cultivating computational and critical thinking, thereby providing a theoretical foundation and practical paradigm for the intelligent transformation of computer fundamentals education for humanities students in law and political science universities in the AI era.