15 March 2024
When discussing AI in education, the common narrative typically centres on students using AI tools to hastily complete assignments, desperately trying to circumvent detection systems and observant teachers. While these concerns are valid, today I will focus on the less discussed but equally important benefits of AI to the education field. From alleviating teachers' workloads to supporting struggling students, AI holds immense potential to enhance the learning experience.
Research from McKinsey shows that on average, teachers work 50 hours a week, 49% of which is spent on administrative tasks rather than engaging directly with students. Due to this workload, 81% of teachers in the UK consider leaving the profession. However, 20-40 percent of these administrative activities could be automated with technology and AI could play a significant part, freeing up 13 hours per week for teachers to focus on interacting with students. AI can automate repetitive tasks, such as drafting curriculum plans, producing teaching resources, and streamlining enrollment processes thus leaving time for teachers to engage in meaningful student interactions. However, this transition will come with its challenges since educators may lack the technical expertise to fully harness AI's capabilities, and the cost of AI tools remains a barrier to widespread adoption.
Nonetheless, with time, AI will become a helpful companion to teachers. Beyond reducing administrative burdens, AI empowers teachers to improve the quality of education they provide. In an AI + Education Summit at Stanford, researchers from many fields and educational leaders discussed ways to leverage AI to enhance learning. For instance, to help teachers practice, AI’s capabilities to demonstrate confusion and ask follow-up questions could be used to simulate students. In addition, AI could offer real-time teaching suggestions during lessons, and provide comprehensive post-lesson feedback reports including metrics on which questions engaged the class the most. A concern with this use of technology in the classroom is that the personal connection between students and teachers could be lost; however, the government insists that the intention is not to replace teachers but simply to assist them while preserving the human element.
For students, AI holds the promise of a more engaging and accessible learning experience. AI-powered chatbots can encourage participation for cautious students, provide instant feedback, and facilitate collaborative learning opportunities. By simulating conversations, AI enables each student to engage in a personal discussion that assesses their understanding of the material and fills gaps in their knowledge. Through this method, it can help struggling students by identifying their unique difficulties. Moreover, AI can transcend language barriers by offering multilingual support and real-time translation as well as using captioning features to assist students with disabilities.
As with most changes, there are some cautions that should be noted. While AI can provide quick answers, this can come at the sacrifice of student learning which it is not yet optimized for. As most will know, it is also common for AI to provide incorrect answers which sound reasonable but are difficult to identify without prior knowledge of the material. Additionally, there's a risk of students becoming overly reliant on AI, potentially diminishing the value they place on developing essential skills.
In conclusion, AI brings an inevitable change to education and many opportunities to enhance teaching and learning. By alleviating teachers' workloads, empowering educators with data-driven insights, and fostering a more personalized learning environment, AI will undoubtedly improve education. As society navigates this transition, it must be cautious and ensure it prioritizes pedagogical effectiveness and the holistic development of students.
