Assessment redesign in a digital marketing subject to incorporate the use of generative artificial intelligence tools

Research Note

By Ronen Nadri
ICMS Lecturer

Introduction

Generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) tools have been transforming the digital marketing industry and how people are engaging with brands, interacting with marketing campaigns and as a result consuming products or services.

Use of these tools help marketing professionals enhance their efficiency by automating repetitive tasks like content creation and data analytics.

It also enhances efficacy of marketing efforts by generating personalised and targeted marketing messages and content that ultimately results in higher engagement, lead generation and conversion rates.

While some repetitive tasks might become automated and lower the cost of marketing campaigns, the demand for the marketer’s human skills like strategic thinking, creativity, and emotional intelligence will grow and will free up time to focus deeper and refine the marketing strategy.

Overall, GenAI is not a replacement for human marketers but a powerful tool to enhance their capabilities.

As the technology of artificial intelligence (AI) evolves, the marketing profession will also adapt more and require a blend of AI proficiency and human expertise [1].

Therefore, higher education courses also need to adapt to the changing needs of the profession by equipping students with the trending technological skill sets. This scholarly project aimed to adapt a digital marketing subject through assessment redesign to prepare the students for the increasing demand in the workplace to have the skills set to use AI tools.

This research note illustrates the revision and redesign of the final assessment in MKT103A Digital Marketing, which is an elective year one digital marketing subject in the Bachelor of Business (Marketing) course at International College of Management Sydney (ICMS).

Rationale for assessment redesign

The aim of the MKT103A Digital Marketing subject was to introduce students to emerging interactive technologies, most notably social media tools, and discuss ways in which these technologies can be exploited by businesses to more effectively serve markets.

In order to achieve the aims of the subject and respond to the technological demands in the ever-evolving marketing profession, the final assessment in the subject was revised to incorporate GenAI tools commonly used in the industry by marketers to enhance the industry-focussed learning experience and assessment outcomes for the students.

Process of assessment redesign

Building upon ICMS’ Artificial Intelligence in Education (AIED) Framework [2], the assessment redesign underwent a review process that evaluates and confirms the validity, reliability and accuracy of assessment methods to ensure they effectively measure the intended learning outcomes and that sufficient information is provided in the assessment brief to allow for consistent assessment decisions across assessors, time and contexts.

Integration of GenAI

The original assessment task was scaffolded and required students to create a WordPress website based on the digital marketing goals they developed in the previous assessment.

However, the assessment instructions did not allow students to use any AI tools.

Therefore, the assessment was redesigned by allowing the use of selected GenAI tools to assist students identify new marketing trends and develop custom designed messages for the target audiences of their website.

The learning objectives emphasised how students can better engage with targeted audiences and improve user experience (UX) design, reflecting best practice technological advancements in the industry.

 Students were given specific instructions on the required use of GenAI tools in the website development consisting of the following website pages:

• Home page: Students are required to use GenAI tools to generate text and images that present the writer as a thought leader.
• e-Commerce page: Students are required to create a product/service page showing a complete description, images and/or videos of the product/service. They need to use GenAI tools to generate these contents.
• Blog page: Students are required to create two blog posts, one that they created themselves and one that was generated by ChatGPT.

Innovation and relevance to professional practice

The redesigned assessment introduces several innovative aspects:

1. Focus on strategic development: The new format shifts the emphasis from technical execution to strategic website development, aligning better with the needs of digital marketing professionals [3].
2. Incorporating current industry trends: Embracing GenAI tools exposes students to in-demand technologies and shows how GenAI tools can implement current marketing trends like chatbots and personalisation [1].
3. Developing a growth mindset: By experimenting with GenAI-generated content and analysing its effectiveness, students cultivate a data-driven and explorative approach, a crucial skill in today’s business environment [4].
4. Targeted audience: Students are required to demonstrate targeting a specific target audience for their website. This aligns with industry best practices, where successful websites cater to clearly defined user personas [5].
5. Improved UX design: Students are encouraged to leverage GenAI tools for tasks like user persona creation and A/B testing of website layouts. This fosters an understanding of user-centred design principles and the role of AI in optimising the user experience [6].
6. Ethical considerations integration: The assessment prompts students to consider the ethical implications of using GenAI tools, such as data privacy and algorithmic bias [7].
7. Social responsibility emphasis: Students are encouraged to design websites that promote accessibility, diversity, and inclusion through GenAI features and align with the growing emphasis on diversity and inclusion in marketing strategies [8].

 Future assessment design and scholarship in higher education

This study opens doors for further exploration in assessment design and scholarship:

• Future iterations could involve integrating consumer behaviour research into the assessment. Students could leverage GenAI tools to analyse online consumer data and tailor their website design accordingly, and the effectiveness of GenAI tools in website creation, comparing learning outcomes and student engagement with traditional methods.
• Future research could explore the long-term impact of incorporating GenAI tools and emerging trends in digital marketing education, examining its influence on student preparedness for the evolving technology-focused business world.

Conclusion

The redesign of an assessment for website development in the MKT103A Digital Marketing subject by integration of GenAI tools, represents a forward-thinking approach to bridge the gap between the academia and technological trends in the industry. By aligning with current professional practices and leveraging emerging technologies, students can be better equipped to navigate the dynamic landscape of digital marketing upon graduation. Future research in this area can investigate impact on educational outcomes and student perspectives for success in the digital marketing industry.

Acknowledgements

This project was funded by the International College of Management Sydney (ICMS) Artificial Intelligence in Education (AIED) Scholarship Grant between January – May 2024.

References:

[1] Chan, C., & Hu, W. (2023). Students’ voices on generative AI: perceptions, benefits, and challenges in higher education. International Journal of Educational Technology in Higher Education, 20(1), 1–18. https://doi.org/10.1186/s41239-023-00411-8

[2] International College of Management Sydney. (2024). Artificial intelligence in education framework. International College of Management Sydney. https://policies.icms.edu.au/artificial-intelligence-in-education-aied-framework/

[3] Patil, D. D. Y. (n.d.). The rising demand for digital marketers: A look into the future of the industry. www.dypatilonline.com. https://www.dypatilonline.com/blogs/the-rising-demand-for-digital-marketers-a-look-into-the-future-of-the-industry

[4] Thomas, K.F.C (2024). Future research recommendations for transforming higher education with generative AI. Computers & Education: Artificial Intelligence, 6, 100197–100197. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.caeai.2023.100197

[5] HubSpot. (2024). Make my persona. Hubspot.com. https://www.hubspot.com/make-my-persona

[6] Rantavuo, H. (2019). Designing for intelligence. Proceedings of the 5th International ACM In-Cooperation HCI and UX Conference on – CHIuXiD’19. https://doi.org/10.1145/3328243.3328268

[7] Shuford, J. (2024). Examining ethical aspects of AI: Addressing bias and equity in the discipline. Journal of Artificial Intelligence General Science, 3(1), 262–280. https://doi.org/10.60087/jaigs.v3i1.119

[8] Eisend, M., Muldrow, A. F., & Rosengren, S. (2022). Diversity and inclusion in advertising research. International Journal of Advertising, 42(1), 1–8. https://doi.org/10.1080/02650487.2022.2122252