By Zak Amin
Fast and rapid technological development has different opinions from people about artificial intelligence. Some are overly enthusiastic about new technologies; some approach them carefully; others highly skeptical. That is understandable, for technology has changed not only the workplace but has also deeply affected life in general. AI, though much promising, is also fully surrounded by pitfalls if applied unethically.
A recent social media post by an American professor underlined a growing concern of educators: AI’s influence on student works. The professor indicated that he spent more time detecting AI-generated content in student essays than the students did in their writing. That observation shows the great extent to which AI has infiltrated an academic setting at a cost usually to the original student effort.
In marked contrast to this, another teacher recounted that AI was most helpful when she needed to create a curriculum map for a new class. It gives an example of increased productivity and efficiency that is possible with AI in the classroom.
There are some critical questions that need to be addressed when thinking about the integration of AI into education. How exactly, and for what purposes, should AI be applied at school? For instance, which responsibilities should the teacher and which the student take on the application of AI? Under which conditions will the positive effects on students’ learning due to AI tools being available be realized?
Reflecting on the evolution of educational tools, each advancement has brought about increased efficiency. For example, back in the day, teachers used to write test papers by hand. In the 1990s, using a typewriter was very common. In the early 2000s, computers were very widespread. These days, no teacher would choose to write test papers by hand if they have access to a computer.
It is in the same way that many areas in the teaching process can be facilitated by the use of AI. Instead of using AI to generate materials, teachers could use AI to help organize and polish their material into more coherent and grammatically correct presentations. The balance between AI idea generation and a teacher’s prowess for resolution tactics in the many diverging classroom situations, detailed explanation, is not to be overlooked.
It is also important to answer the question: should students be introduced to AI at all? On one hand, AI tools can be extremely useful, but on the other, they could be used irresponsibly. The bad and good aspects of AI should be elaborated and presented to the students by their teachers. With the myriad of responsibilities students balance in their lives, access to AI might be highly tempting and thus potentially misused.
Some countries use internet filters that block some of the more distracting or harmful websites, encouraging students to focus on positive online resources; the same sort of logic could apply to AI, with guidelines in order to ensure it enhances rather than detracts from learning.
Careful regulation in educational institutions is definitely needed because policies have to vividly draw the boundaries so as not to become overly dependent on technology while preserving its benefits. One word: moderation. AI, if sensibly used, can be a powerful instrument for education. Its impact, without proper safeguards put in place, can be less than favorable. A delicate balancing act—in terms of innovation and caution to ensure that what is best for children, teachers, and the learning process works properly—shall be required to harness its full potential in schools.