The future described in sci-fi movies and books is already here. We have all these flat and incredibly functional gadgets, we have smart virtual assistants, we are inventing amazing robots, and developing intuitive AI.
Some things have remained more old-fashioned in the best kind of way, like schools. When we compare a modern classroom to the one that existed a half of century ago, there surely are some differences – but not as much as we could have expected. Teachers use gadgets and smart boards but the whole structure of the educational process remains pretty much the same.
But will it remain like that for long? That’s a tricky question to answer. As technologies develop, artificial intelligence slowly becomes an important part of our lives. The data published by Softwareinsider blog shows that according to the calculations, the AI market will surpass $100 billion by 2025. Knowing that it’s impossible not to think of how the AI will affect every sphere of our lives (including education) in the near future.
Implementing the AI into the educational system: good or bad idea?
Of course, the opinions on the topic are quite controversial. Some believe that this would definitely be a good idea and that the AI is slowly finding its way into the educational system already. Some, however, fear that, assuming that the AI will take over, leaving the teachers jobless and cutting off the human component of education completely.
Their worries are completely understandable. After all, even Elon Musk has expressed his worries regarding AI. But while these things are still discussed, we are already able to focus on the narrower picture and try predicting how exactly would the AI effect and change the educational system.
Where could the AI help?
Let’s be honest: the current educational system isn’t as flexible as it could be. The standards are pretty much the same for everyone and there aren’t many ways to make the whole process more diverse.
Adding AI to the whole system could change that. It could analyze the students’ progress quickly and effectively, identify their strengths and weaknesses, and help tailor the educational program to an individual student’s needs. This would help the students make the most out of their education, focusing mostly on the things they are the most effective in.
AI could also analyze data to identify the gaps and the flaws of the courses. For example, if all students struggle with the certain assignment or a certain part of the course, AI could spot that and do something to change it: for example, suggest adding some additional guidance.
AI could also help with various routines, from grading to handling the documentation. This way the teachers won’t need to focus on the routine tasks so much, being able to pay attention to the things AI could handle (I will talk about them later in the article).
Also, AI would be able to give all the students detailed and personalized feedback and also help them with the educational process – for example, by offering some process analysis essay topics for their future essay.
But if AI could aid the learning process in so many aspects, wouldn’t it mean that all the worries about it replacing the teachers will come true? Well, I don’t think so – and here’s why.
Where is the AI unable to replace the teachers?
While AI is great with the analysis and with the completion of the routine tasks, it still cannot replace humans completely. The schools and colleges don’t simply offer students knowledge – they also teach them how to socialize, how to work in a team, and so on. This is vital for every student – and that’s the reason why the teachers will always be needed: to help their students build social skills, to add emotions to the process, and so on.
And that’s why the implementation of AI into the learning process could actually be a great idea: it would do some of the teachers’ work, therefore making it easier for them to concentrate on their students, to establish a connection with every one of them, and to create a great atmosphere in the class.
Kevin Nelson
Kevin is a professional educator and a private tutor with over 8 years of experience. He is also a content writer for various blogs about higher education, entertainment, social media & blogging. During his off time, Kevin enjoys traveling and cooking. Feel free to connect with him on Twitter, Linkedin & Google+.
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