Artificial intelligence (AI) is redefining the landscape of higher education, and at IWU, Tiffany Snyder, Ph.D., is helping guide that transformation.
As a faculty leader in enrichment and academic innovation for IWU’s online programs, Snyder is exploring how AI tools such as large language models (LLMs)—AI systems that generate and refine text based on patterns learned from large datasets—can support research, enhance learning, and be used responsibly in ways that serve people rather than replace them.
Her journey began as an IWU psychology student, where exposure to research sparked a passion that shaped her doctoral studies in psychology, technology, and learning. Today, Snyder applies that expertise to research on the ethical use of AI in higher education and beyond. For her, this work is not only academic but also spiritual, since she views ethics in technology as part of the Christian responsibility to reflect the character of Christ by using tools in ways that honor human dignity and serve others.
Snyder’s approach is practical and collaborative, focusing on applied research that studies how people learn in real time. Her projects often grow from conversations with students or colleagues.
One example is a recent peer-reviewed article she co-authored with IWU Doctor of Business Administration student Phil White, published in Advances in Online Education in December 2024. What began as a simple student question about which AI tools could help with writing grew into a broader reflection on how LLMs like ChatGPT can improve draft quality, accelerate literature searches, and support scholar-practitioners when used ethically. Reflecting on that work, Snyder explained, “We didn’t just ask what AI can do. We asked what it should do. Human supervision and ethical reflection are crucial.”
At IWU, that reflection is explicitly shaped by a biblical worldview. Snyder emphasizes that wisdom, stewardship, and discernment, values rooted in Christian teaching, must guide the adoption of emerging technologies so that innovation serves people, not the other way around.
Snyder co-authored a peer-reviewed article, also published in Advances in Online Education, in June 2024. The study examined how AI tools can support digital libraries, especially in under-resourced universities, by reducing staff strain, improving access, and helping shape the “university of the future.”
“We work for an innovative university,” Snyder said. “So, we asked: What does it look like for AI to serve that mission? How do we use these tools to support learning, not replace it?”
This study, along with her others, is directly tied to her teaching. In one of her courses, Current Issues in Virtuous Organizations, Snyder now integrates discussions about AI and its impact on decision-making in professional contexts. Students complete a case analysis that compares human-only drafting to AI-assisted drafting and then present an ethics rationale for their chosen workflow. She teaches the course to professionals in IWU’s online programs, equipping them to apply new technologies with wisdom and integrity rooted in virtue ethics and the Christian commitment to honoring the image of God in every person.
For Snyder, the value of research lies in the learning along the way. Her publications reflect outcomes as well as the process and insights students and faculty gain while using emerging research tools.
“Everything I approach now, I don’t think, ‘How can I get this published?’” she said. “I think, ‘What are we learning that others need to hear?’”
She is also cautious about the pace of technological change. While AI promises speed and efficiency, she believes poorly managed innovation can disrupt learning rather than enhance it.
“New technologies make a lot of promises, but technological disruption in the academic experience can be harmful,” Snyder said. “Unvetted tools can introduce inaccuracies or short-circuit learning if they replace rather than support reasoning. We have to be intentional.” That intentionality, she adds, comes from a Christian understanding of stewardship: technology must remain a servant, not a master. “Tools should never replace our God-given responsibility to think critically, act wisely, and love others,” Snyder said.
As Snyder continues to explore the role of AI in higher education, her work remains grounded in thoughtful inquiry rather than flashy trends. Her optimism reflects a philosophy: innovation is only meaningful if it supports learning and human flourishing as part of Christ’s redemptive mission. At IWU, that vision is directly tied to the mission of preparing students to change the world for Christ.
Whether helping students co-author articles or advising faculty, she focuses on creating space for ethical reflection and shared discovery. “This isn’t about chasing trends,” she said. “It’s about guiding people through change with integrity, wisdom, and a commitment to honor God in the process.”
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