AI in education: not a threat, but a change agent

Artificial intelligence (AI) has become a transforming agent in many sectors; education is at the forefront of formerly unheard-of transformation. A couple of days ago, Arizona State University (ASU), President, Michael Crow while talking to the Indian media, shared his views on AI in education. He doesn’t see AI as a disruptive menace.

Mr. Crow said that AI is not a threat, only outdated teaching methods are. This emphasizes that the lack of modernising instructional methods in response to technology development is more of a threat to education not from AI but from itself.

An increasing amount of research literature highlights how AI may support teachers, personalise education, automate administrative chores, and raise student involvement. But concerns remain as to how students who are not really subject matter experts will be able to discern facts amidst tonnes of text generated by machines that are trained for different contexts. In this article, we seek to examine how AI might affect education using current studies showing its great promise.

AI and bespoke education

The capacity of AI to customise learning opportunities for every student makes one of its most important contributions to education. Standardised courses used in conventional education systems might not meet the various demands of the pupils. AI can close this disparity, though, by providing individualized learning paths.

In a research paper published in March 2024, Michail Giannakos (Norway), Mutlu Cukurova (London) et al acknowledge that GenAI’s capabilities can enhance some teaching and learning practices, such as learning design, regulation of learning, automated content, feedback, and assessment. Nevertheless, they also highlight its limitations, potential disruptions, ethical consequences, and potential misuses. The paper also highlighted the danger of hastily adopting GenAI tools in education without deep consideration of the efficacy and pedagogical soundness of such practices.

Improving engagement via AI-driven interactivity

Education still depends much on engagement, and AI provides tools to make learning more dynamic and immersive. Virtual reality (VR), AI-powered educational games, and Intelligent Tutoring Systems (ITS) can add dynamism to learning environments.

Works by experts including Negin Yazdani Motlagh et al. (2023) have investigated how AI-based text creation tools — ChatGPT, Bing Chat, and Bard — are revolutionising digital education. These solutions let students engage with AI-powered instructors with rapid explanations, course material-based quiz generation, and resource suggestions. Such AI systems generate an active learning environment in which students participate more actively in their educational path.

The part AI plays in supporting teachers

Although the effects of AI on young people receive a lot of attention, its ability to support teachers is just as great. AI can improve teaching strategies, reduce administrative tasks, and offer analysis of student performance.

The U.S. Department of Education (2023) research shows how AI could automate scheduling, attendance tracking, and grading. AI helps teachers to free more time for curriculum creation and student mentoring by managing these repetitious chores. Real-time insights into student performance made possible by AI-driven analytics also help teachers to spot areas of weakness in their instruction and change their approaches.

Moreover, AI can support instructors’ professional growth. Platforms driven by AI can examine classroom interactions, provide comments on educational practices, and suggest evidence-based teaching approaches. Such realisations enable teachers to hone their approaches and raise student involvement.

IndiaAI, a major initiative by Indian Government’s Ministry of IT and Electronics, as part of its mission, has working on the blueprint on building a modern foundational AI models trained on Indian datasets. This initiative aims to establish indigenous AI models that align with global standards while addressing unique challenges and opportunities within the Indian context. And one of its objectives is to “demonstrate capabilities to address India-specific challenges and opportunities across sectors like healthcare, education, agriculture, climate change, and governance.”

Ethical issues and reactions

Though there are many benefits to using AI in the classroom, integration of it presents certain difficulties. One should give ethical issues including data privacy, AI algorithm bias, and possible teacher displacement much thought.

Mallik and Gangopadhyay (2023) point out that AI models taught on skewed data could thereby reinforce educational disparities. Maintaining justice and inclusion in AI-powered educational systems calls for strict control and ongoing assessment. Furthermore, questions about academic integrity surface when AI-generated content erases the distinction between automated help and autonomous learning.

Still another major issue is data privacy. To operate as they should, AI systems need access to enormous volumes of student records. Protecting student data and stopping usage of it depends on strong data security systems being established.

Moreover, the need of teachers has to be maintained. AI needs to be seen as an augmentative tool rather than a substitute for human educators. Although AI can automate some parts of education, the human touch is still absolutely essential in encouraging in pupils critical thinking, creativity, and emotional intelligence.

AI’s evolution in Education

The way AI is developing in education, it offers fascinating opportunities. Its uses will soon become more complex, closing access and quality of education gaps.

In the digital world of today, progressive academics note that antiquated teaching strategies, not AI, actually endanger education. And it is not irrelevant. The difficulty resides not in opposing AI but in using its powers to modernise and improve teaching methods. The objective should be to design an optimal model whereby AI and human teachers work together to provide more inclusive, efficient, and customized learning environments.

Working together, governments, academic institutions, and technology developers can create ethical standards, guarantee fair access to AI-driven education, and equip teachers for the AI-powered classroom of the future. Funding AI literacy initiatives will be crucial to provide teachers and students the tools they need to negotiate this changing educational scene.

Dr. Benny Johnson, a researcher on AI in Education, writing recently in a higher education journal, points to the “real risks for students when we provide tools that aren’t rigorous. Right now, ChatGPT is the tool that is making the most waves.” Stating that there was no guarantee that information provided by Gen AI was current because the current tolls are not based on learning science, he concludes tools could be used when the user “is the subject matter expert. The SME will know if the response is correct or incorrect. Students are not experts. They do not always know how to distinguish fact from fiction,” even if the text generated could appear coherent and well written.

The promise of AI in education is great and varied. From customised learning and improved engagement to simplified administrative procedures and professional growth, AI is changing the scene of education. Although ethical issues still exist, legislation changes and appropriate artificial intelligence application help to solve them.

The vision of academics such as the ASU President functions as calls for change in education. By integrating AI in education institutions can go beyond old-fashioned approaches and build a learning ecosystem fit for the future. By doing this, they will not only equip youngsters for the workforce of future but also help to create a more inclusive, flexible, creative education system for next generations. And do this with nuance, reason and a sense of caution.