Educator Hesitation in Using AI
By Michael Giaimo and Tara Green
According to an article by Kathryn Hulick , “ In early January , New York City public schools banned ChatGPT on their devices and networks . Educators were worried that students who turned to it wouldn ’ t learn critical-thinking and problem- solving skills .” As technology rapidly grows all around us , AI has crashed into the realm of education , but even now , teachers hesitate to fully embrace AI ' s power . While AI will only become more advanced and provide more opportunities for education community members , educators question if it will undermine every method and practice used daily .
Educators play a vital role in shaping future generations , and their recent encounters with AI have far-reaching implications . But , as educators , our concerns are justified through the potential issues of academic honesty and the threat of being able to address student growth accurately . We can all admit that it is our nature as educators to want to preserve and protect young minds and teach them the importance of thinking for themselves . We may fear that we are taking away from this by implementing AI and jeopardizing all the fundamentals built into education over the years .
So can we adopt AI as a powerful ally ? Can we revise how we use it to focus on meeting students ’ needs , fostering creative thinking , and promoting collaboration ? This article aims to shed light on the promise of AI , investigate the reasons behind educators ’ hesitations , and ultimately find a balance . Of course , there are cautions ahead when it comes to AI . Still , through discussion , we can discover that harmonious mix between acknowledging the intelligence of AI and appreciating the human touch that shapes education !
The Promise / Focus of AI
AI holds massive promise for altering the educational world , offering opportunities to revolutionize teaching and provide authentic learning experiences . As educators grapple with the decision to incorporate AI into their classrooms , it is crucial to understand the promised areas where AI can possibly make a significant influence and enhance academic outcomes !
Personalized Learning
Promises to help facilitate personalized learning experiences . While traditional classrooms face the challenge of catering to diverse learning needs , AI promises to tailor individualized learning paths . Targeted instruction will help students feel more empowered and encourage them to work independently . Revolutionizes how lessons can be enhanced with AI as an ally . Many try to think of creativity and use it in the classroom – we cannot ignore technology ( Hick , 2023 ).
Intelligent Tutoring + Support
By utilizing language processing and machine algorithms , AI shows promise in providing tutoring systems that provide interactive and responsive support to students . Promises to aid students , especially those with special learning needs , to have alternative assistance methods that can become secondary support in learning . According to the “ Promise of Personalized Learning ,” it states , “ Khan Academy and DuoLingo are also piloting GPT-4 powered tutors that have been trained on their unique datasets ”( Bailey , 2023 ).