Introduction.
Artificial Intelligence refers to the simulation of machines, such as computers, with the ability to do tasks that require human Intelligence similarly. Humans could have done the tasks. Such machines can think like people and imitate people’s actions (McCarthy, 2007). They may also exhibit human traits,r example, learning, reasoning, and solving immediate problems. Innovation has enabled many computer programs to attain the performance levels of humans in doing certain tasks, for example, voice recognition in computers and chatbots that respond to queries from human beings.
AI is a field that is rapidly rising in the modern world. It is a significant technological advancement that has taken place in the 21st century. The rise of AI has been attributed to many factors, with the availability of more complex computers being the major contributor to AI. The development of AI has had several significant impacts on the modern world. It is now being used in several fields. For example, it is used in healthcare to diagnose and treat some diseases. It is also being applied in the finance sector to detect fraud and assist customers in making sound investment decisions. It has enabled the automation of tasks in the manufacturing industry and thus reduced the labor requirements in different industries.
Furthermore, AI is currently being used in the education sector. It can help solve some of the challenges being witnessed in education today. The paper will talk deeply about Artificial Intelligence in education and how it positively or negatively impacts students. The application of artificial Intelligence in education is rapidly growing and transforming educational activities worldwide (Agrawal et al., 2017). Integration of Artificial Intelligence in education is still new, but there are already outcomes being observed.
Artificial Intelligence application in education.
Artificial Intelligence in education is still new and being tested in various parts of the modern world. It has continued to develop in the modern education sector today. AI is moving to transform how teachers teach, learners learn, and institutions run and operate. There are, therefore, several ways in which AI is being used in education by both students and teachers. Students greatly benefit from the use of AI in learning in different ways.
One of the ways AI has been used is by creating adaptive learning tools for learners. The new AI technology makes use of ML algorithms to perform analysis on the performance of learners. The adaptive learning tools, therefore, make it possible for students to learn at their speed and improve their performance without getting bored and tired. Students can easily access and receive the resources they want regardless of their skills or backgrounds. In addition, assistive technology is also used in learning to help students with special needs, for example, through speech recognition. Students with disabilities are, therefore, able to comprehend their reading material through the help of AI tools.
In addition, school AI tools are used to track students’ performance. With this tracking system, teachers are able to know where students are experiencing problems and the difficult areas that need more concentration. Educators are, therefore, able to provide the necessary feedback required to improve learning outcomes. Some other AI tools are being used to schedule learning time for students. AI-powered schedulers can help in scheduling classes, resources, and learning time for students. They also help teachers gather the required resources for learning. Bigger learning institutions, such as universities, are now making use of AI tools to guide their students in academic research. Through AI online boards, students have the opportunity to have discussions online with their peers and tutors. They can exchange ideas amongst themselves.
AI can also be used to come up with adaptive tests that are created according to the individual needs of the students. Teachers can easily discover the weak areas of their students through this kind of tests. Through AI, virtual and real-life experiences can be created by instructors, which enhance liveliness during learning. Students can easily understand complex concepts through this. There is also a development of AI chatbots which may be used to provide necessary guidance as required by students. These chatbots can answer student’s questions immediately. They are there to provide support to students even outside the classroom.
AI tools can also improve learner experience by helping them translate information into new languages as well as learn new languages. Students can easily access content from different languages through the use of these tools (Homes et al., 2023). AI can therefore be widely used in learning institutions to improve students’ and teachers’ experiences in those institutions. Moreover, AI can help reduce the cases of dropout and challenges of poor performance since teachers can easily give individualized support to weak learners. Ai is also highly transforming education from the traditional classroom model to a more dynamic and interactive approach in the classroom.
Through automated AI systems, educators and tutors have their workload reduced since automated systems can easily grade and asses student progress (Homes et al., 2023). The AI tools make it possible for online exams to be done and supervised by course tutors to prevent cases of cheating. They help in providing a conducive testing environment for students. AI can also analyze students’ interests and recommend content that is in line with the student’s interests.
Benefits of AI in education to students.
One of the significant benefits of AI in education is the ability to improve personalized learning for students. The traditional education model that assumes every learner is learning at the same speed is sometimes disadvantageous to learners. However, AI personalized learning benefits students, especially those who are quite slow in grasping content, since they can learn at their own pace. Another benefit realized is that AI can analyze different learners’ capabilities, learning styles, and students’ progress and then later adjust the course content and method of delivering the content to suit each student’s preference (Qin & Wang, 2022). Students can therefore learn effectively and achieve better performance.
Through AI-powered tools, students from all over the world are able to exchange knowledge and skills. Students can easily attend various trainings and programs by making use of these technologies. There are several sites that give learners some important learning materials from the highly skilled professionals. In addition, AI is a great deal for students who speak several languages since there are AI translator tools that generate subtitles for students to read in a language they prefer (Fahimirad & Kotamjani, 2018). There are also tools that help those who are visually impaired to access learning materials. Students with disability are therefore catered for in education through the integration of AI systems. AI systems also provide more interactive learning sessions to students and hence able to memorize the content effectively and easily.
AI can also make learning enjoyable for students through gamification. Through this, learning can be made fun for students hence make the students remain motivated and ready to learn always. It can also improve collaborative learning to students by linking up students with peers who have similar interests and academic goals with them. Through such tools, social interactions are promoted even during online learning. Students can effectively interact with their peers from other parts of the globe. Through the use of chatbots, students can effectively access knowledge and feedback to their questions even away from school.
How should we prepare students for an AI-driven future?
Since artificial Intelligence is developing at a high rate in the world, students should be prepared for an AI-driven future. Students need to learn about current changes in the technological field due to the rise of AI and have the necessary skills required to adapt to the rapid technological change. As we prepare for increased AI in the future, students should be able to understand in detail what it is and the impact it may have on our lives in the near future. They have to be given real-time opportunities to interact with artificial Intelligence and weigh if they may be interested in this field.
There are ways in which we can prepare students for an AI-driven future. First, educators should create opportunities for students to interact with AI in several ways. Educators should discuss with students on the different ways they happen to interact with AI. Students should also be equipped with the basic skills in using digital tools such as computers and the Internet. They should have digital literacy as we prepare for an AI future. In addition, they should be trained in coding skills which are useful in understanding various AI algorithms. Tutors and educators should also emphasize and encourage students to embrace critical thinking. Critical thinking skills will enable students to come up with solutions to complex problems. Through critical thinking, students will be able to predict the credibility of AI-given information and make a decision on what information to use.
Students should also be taught how to analyze and interpret data effectively since artificial Intelligence extensively relies on data in decision-making. Students should also learn about the impacts of AI on society. Educators should therefore encourage extensive discussions on the ethical implications of adopting AI and also how to use AI responsibly. Students should also be encouraged to embrace continuous learning to continue growing and developing skills. Students should be encouraged to be willing to learn new skills throughout their life since AI will continue evolving as time goes by. AI-related topics should also be included in different learning areas and fields. For instance, students should be made aware of the different roles of Artificial Intelligence in various fields and industries, such as medicine, manufacturing, education, and finance, among other fields.
Students should be taught to work in teams effectively since AI works effectively together with the workforce. In as much as AI can perform human-related tasks effectively, students should be taught to remain innovative and creative and think of ways to improve AI more. They should also be aware of the importance of interacting with humans and not machines alone. Finally, students should engage in AI-related projects and practical applications to develop skills and experience with AI tools. The above strategies combined can enable students to embrace and survive in an AI-driven future.
Disadvantages of using AI in education to students.
Despite AI having several benefits, there are also other disadvantages of using AI in education for students. One of the potential disadvantages of AI in education is inadequate human interaction. AI interaction cannot replace human interaction because students cannot get the emotional support required to succeed from AI tools. It cannot immediately replace the human relationship that students have with their teachers and peers (Fahimirad & Kotamjani, 2018). Learners may end up being antisocial since their social skills have not been developed in class or school settings.
AI systems may also interfere with student’s privacy. Since AI systems store a lot of information about students, including their performance, interests, and personal information. This information could be used by the administration and other individuals to track the movement of the students or their activity online. AI systems may occasionally generate harmful data for students. In case the AI tools misinterpret data, wrong feedback may be generated. Students should therefore be discouraged from solely relying on AI tools without human verification.
Students come from different backgrounds as they go to learning institutions. However, not all learners may be able to access new technology and the internet. These differences may bring about inequality in learning where AI tools are widely used. Some of the students are disadvantaged by this and have limited learning opportunities. In addition, some AI tools are not flexible to adjust and perform according to the needs and pace of the learner (Fahimirad & Kotamjani, 2018). Some students may therefore have reduced motivation to learn due to the rigid structure of the AI tools.
Students may also lack creativity and innovation when AI is extremely used in learning. Learners may over-rely on AI in doing tasks and assignments, and hence their ability to think creatively may be reduced. Students may also be lazy as a result of over-reliance on technology. They may lose their skills and talents since they rarely use them during learning.
The use of AI in education may bring an impact of job displacement for teachers and educators. It may work in the same way as teachers, thereby bringing joblessness to some instructors. When instructors lose jobs, students may not be able to get the personalized attention they need. Students may become over-dependent on AI tools, causing addiction and hence lacking other skills, such as creative and critical thinking, that are required in human life. They may not be able to solve problems correctly. With the rapid rise in AI, face-to-face classroom discussions may be neglected by students and tutors. Students may face a challenge since face-to-face interaction and classroom discussions are vital aspects of student education. These disadvantages faced by students may easily disconnect the students from the learning process and reduce their concentration.
The future of AI in learning.
As AI is continuing to grow, we are expecting many changes in the field of education. In the future, AI is likely to transform the education sector more than it is doing right now. First, we expect to experience more personalized learning in the future. Students are going to learn more effectively at their own pace and improve their behavior and performance (Selwyn, 2022). Learning styles are going to be adjusted to meet the needs of individual learners and therefore improve learner motivation and performance.
We also expect to see more game-like elements in the future that will help make learning fun for students. These gamification structures are likely to be more complex in the future and therefore motivate the learners more. Scholars should come up with more complex tools that study individual student’s behavior and identify actual game elements that are suitable for different types of learners (Selwyn, 2022). We are also likely to have predictive analytics, which makes use of current data and past historical data to make a prediction on future outcomes. Such analytics may help institutions to make an accurate prediction on student outcomes and students ability to retain content.
AI-powered tools will also enhance automated grading systems after assessment. Teachers will be freed from tiresome tasks that are time-consuming. In the future, we anticipate seeing machines develop the ability to understand and interpret human language. Such machines will help provide personalized support to students, including those learners with disabilities. With the rapid development of AI, we expect to see more complex and effective learning content created for use by students. There are also virtual educators who will be available throughout to provide necessary support to students. At the click of a button, students will be able to get immediate feedback on the areas they need help anytime, whether in class or outside class.
However, in the future, there is a fear of job loss for the instructors and teachers. With that, individuals should ensure a balanced use of both AI tools as well as human instructors in learning processes. AI should be used as a tool to improve learning and not a complete replacement for human instructors. As educators opt to use AI, they should think of using AI tools ethically and in the right way. As AI continues growing in society, students will have to get an education on the ethical considerations of AI technologies.
Recommendations.
As AI is continuously on the rise, here are some recommendations to implement AI in education successfully.
- AI should be implemented in the curriculum slowly and steadily rather than implementing it across the whole curriculum all at once. Schools should start integrating AI in a few learning areas first to gain experience with the technology before going on with implementing it in the whole curriculum.
- Learning institutions should partner with reliable AI providers who suit their needs.
- In as much as AI is an effective learning tool, teachers are professionals in the classrooms and should be involved in planning for AI integration in the school. By involving teachers, technology will be used effectively in school and will meet the learners’ immediate needs.
- As AI is integrated into learning, students should be made aware of how it is being used and how their data is being used. This will maintain trust between teachers and students and increase student’s comfort with the technology.
- Clear ethical guidelines should be established by authorities to prioritize the ethical use of AI in learning. Ethical guidelines will ensure that students’ data and information are protected.
- The effectiveness of AI-powered tools should be evaluated regularly through feedback from teachers, administrators, and students. Frequent evaluation will help create room for further improvement of the AI tools for better performance.
Conclusion.
The benefits of AI integration in education are widespread. Students are the largest benefit of AI integration in schools since there is personalized learning. As technology continues developing, we hopefully expect to witness more innovations in AI integration in learning. Major improvement in AI in learning will ensure interactive and efficient learning goes on and students’ performance is improved. However, it is important to note the ethical considerations when adopting AI. Policies should be set to ensure that students use AI in the right way in class. By following the recommendations highlighted in this article, AI shall be effectively implemented and used in learning for the benefit of the learners.
References.
Agrawal, A., Gans, J., & Goldfarb, A. (2017). What to expect from artificial Intelligence.
Fahimirad, M., & Kotamjani, S. S. (2018). A review of the application of artificial Intelligence in teaching and learning in educational contexts. International Journal of Learning and Development, 8(4), 106-118.
Holmes, W., Bialik, M., & Fadel, C. (2023). Artificial Intelligence in education. Globethics Publications.
McCarthy, J. (2007). What is Artificial Intelligence?
Qin, H., & Wang, G. (2022, January). Benefits, challenges, and solutions of Artificial Intelligence applied in education. In 2022 11th International Conference on Educational and Information Technology (ICEIT) (pp. 62-66). IEEE.
Selwyn, N. (2022). The future of AI and education: Some cautionary notes. European Journal of Education, 57(4), 620-631.
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