How to Embrace AI for Limitless Learning Potential
The introduction of AI in education is inevitable and resistance could negatively affect underserved students without ready internet access. AI technology is advancing quickly, and applications such as ChatGPT have been successful. For instance, GPT-4 passed the MIT Mathematics and EECS curriculum with a 100% score, and Harvard has an official AI tutor for its computer science program. Many middle and high schools have implemented 1-to-1 computing programs, and the majority of students have access to a cell phone by age 14. Given these conditions, AI will soon become an integral part of classrooms across the US.
There are seven possible roles of AI in the classroom as identified by thought leaders, including being an AI tutor, coach, mentor, teammate, tool, simulator, and student. Each role has its pedagogical benefits and risks, as highlighted by Prof. Ethan Mollick. As content and knowledge become commodities in the age of AI, students need to be taught to critically evaluate and adapt concepts, remain the human in the loop, and create innovative solutions.
AI has the potential to support and scale the implementation of Project-Based Learning (PBL), which has been proven to foster a proactive attitude in students. AI can help in brainstorming, generating research suggestions, restating research in simpler terms, developing project plans, prototyping, and providing feedback.
AI can help level the playing field in education by providing all students, regardless of their background, with the tools necessary to solve complex problems. This can help nurture a generation of ethical and empathetic problem-solvers. In view of these positive trends, educators should embrace AI as a way of enhancing learning outcomes.