The Role Of AI In Teaching Future Teachers

While AI offers personalised learning and improved teaching methods, the vital role of human educators remains irreplaceable in creating meaningful student relationships

Can you tell me what it’s like to teach or lecture? New technologies, especially AI, have made educators obsolete as the primary means of imparting information. Is this a sign that computers will soon be able to teach us all the material we need? Could AI eventually rule the world?

In 1956, during a two-month workshop at Dartmouth College in the US, John McCarthy initially introduced the phrase “artificial intelligence” (AI). In their 2019 study, Zawacki-Richter and colleagues provided evidence that AI had been considered even before this. As M.A. Turing expressed in his 1950 article Computing Machinery & Intelligence, “We can hope that machines will eventually compete with men in all purely intellectual fields.” The fact that we encountered ChatGPT in 2022 suggests that his predictions were correct. Machine intelligence is another name for artificial intelligence (AI). A computer system acts as if it were a human brain. Whether we acknowledge it or not, artificial intelligence has become integral to our daily lives.

Task automation, tailored learning, universal access, smart content creation, teacher training, identifying classroom deficiencies, and 24/7 help are all areas where academics continuously strive to incorporate AI into education (The Seven Most Useful AI-Based Educational Tools, n.d.). The use of AI in the classroom has the potential to revolutionize teacher preparation and raise the bar for student learning. India has been a global leader in incorporating AI into classrooms, but there are challenges and opportunities to be aware of. When contrasted with other sectors like healthcare, manufacturing, and banking, the application of AI in the educational sector remains relatively modest. Using AI in teacher education has led to several evidence-based improvements, which are presented in this study. A few examples of the many purposes served by these applications include providing in-service teachers with an introduction to artificial intelligence (AI), visualizing the behaviours and interactions of both pre- and in-service teachers, and automatically evaluating their video-based oral presentations.

Improving the Quality of Teacher Education 

When it comes to enhancing the standard of teacher education, AI can be an indispensable tool. Smart information and communication technology (ICT) applications in India that aim to facilitate digital learning are increasingly incorporating AI features. Ensuring that educators are well-versed in the subjects they teach is a major challenge in teacher preparation programs. AI has the potential to provide educators with individualized access to high-quality learning materials and resources. Teachers can also benefit from AI’s ability to identify knowledge gaps and offer constructive criticism.

To hone their teaching abilities, educators can consult AI. See how Google and OpenAI ChatGPT fare when you search for “ways to improve teaching skills” below.

Another way AI can improve education is by giving educators greater access to resources that help them perform their roles more effectively. Teachers can tailor their lessons to students’ individual needs using real-time feedback on student performance provided by AI-driven assessment systems. AI also supports personalized learning by developing lesson plans specific to each student’s requirements. Schools such as Kendriya Vidyalayas and others following the CBSE curriculum have already begun teaching students about AI. Some schools are utilizing humanoid robots to assist instructors in the classroom. Artificial intelligence (AI) is now an integral part of the newly introduced robotics courses at several schools following the International Baccalaureate (IB) curriculum.

AI has the potential to enhance personalized learning by equipping educators with various tools and resources, enabling them to design tailored learning experiences for their students. AI can assist educators in recognizing the diverse learning styles, interests, and abilities of students, enabling the creation of lessons specifically designed to meet each student’s unique requirements. AI allows educators to monitor student progress and modify their instructional approaches as needed.

“A personalized learning environment is capable of examining student performance data in real-time and systematically delivering tailored content, learning parameters, and feedback.” This approach enables educators to gain deeper insights into student performance, thereby facilitating the development of effective learning plans for their students.

Ensuring that educators possess a solid grasp of the subjects they teach is a significant challenge in teacher preparation. AI has the potential to provide educators with individualized, high-quality learning materials and tools. For example, the Global Teaching Insights Report discovered that numerous instructors in underdeveloped nations face substantial obstacles in accessing top-notch instructional materials. However, this situation is rapidly evolving following the outbreak.

According to the ICUBE 2020 report by IAMAI and Kantar, internet usage is rising in India, which is a prerequisite for utilizing AI. Predictions indicate there will be over 900 million active internet users by 2025 (Kantar Icube 2020, Report C1.pdf, n.d.). AI can help bridge the knowledge gap by making a wealth of instructional materials, including videos, e-books, and online lectures, accessible to educators.

The Human Aspect of Teaching 

Communicating with pupils on a personal level, earning their trust, and sparking their interest in a subject is no easy task. Being an educator demands bravery. A teacher’s responsibilities include not only answering students’ queries independently but also designing courses, creating syllabi, and delivering lectures or lessons.

Teachers must determine how much time to devote to each topic, which teaching methods will work best for their students, and which technological resources would be beneficial. They must also accommodate students with special needs. Given these numerous responsibilities, defining a teacher’s precise role is complex. However, one thing is clear: at the core of this role is the fundamental need to teach.

With the rapid advancement of technology, education is evolving. Think about how the internet emerged. When it first came online more than half a century ago, no one could have predicted its long-term impact on daily life or society—economically, politically, and socially. Today, the internet is used in vastly different ways compared to just a decade ago.

As technology plays an increasingly important role in education, the most important feature of a teacher remains their basic humanity. Allow technology to do what it does best, and let human educators do what they do best: foster meaningful human interactions. Educational technology, like other tools, provides fresh ways to transmit knowledge to students while allowing teachers to impart wisdom and Bildung (holistic education).

Conclusion 

The potential of AI in teacher education is substantial; however, its implementation necessitates a thorough examination of ethical, social, technical, and cultural factors. AI can enhance the quality of teacher education, refine teaching skills, and enable personalized learning. However, it also raises critical concerns about data privacy, bias, and cultural acceptability. To maximize AI’s potential in teacher education, a well-defined framework must be established to ensure its appropriate application.

While AI is transforming multiple domains, including education, its role in teacher training presents an opportunity to enhance instructional quality. AI systems offer tailored and flexible learning experiences, improving the efficacy of teaching methods.

However, AI will not replace teachers. As Fan (2019, p. 133) notes, the future of AI depends on how people perceive and adopt it. The field of educational AI remains in its early stages, and teachers play a vital role in integrating AI into classrooms. While technological advancements have introduced new professions, the educator remains irreplaceable.

The real challenge is leveraging AI’s capabilities while preserving the essential human skills that define great teachers. A teacher’s presence in the classroom is crucial for students’ growth, well-being, and social development. Humans, as social beings, thrive through group interactions.

Students need strong social skills to overcome isolation, grow as individuals, and find inner peace. Building solid relationships between teachers and students is essential. The fight against misinformation, populism, and ideological extremism begins with education.

Acknowledgement 

I want to thank Chief Education Officer Shopian, Mohd Shabir, for continuously encouraging me with his inspiring words.

The writer is a teacher and research scholar at Lovely Professional University, Punjab

Muhsin Ameen Malik

[email protected]

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