Any question or statistic people want or need to know is right at their fingertips thanks to John McCarthy, the original developer of Artificial Intelligence (AI), technology that is currently changing the world.
AI has been around since the 1950s and has only improved since. According to Walden University education programs, AI is defined as “a field of computer science and technology that focuses on creating machines, systems, or software programs capable of performing tasks that typically require human intelligence. AI systems are designed to simulate or replicate human cognitive functions and adapt to new information and situations.”
AI can do so much for students and educators. It can expand resources and provide personalized learning, help differently-abled kids feel more engaged and connected in the classroom, and even assist teachers.
Using AI such as ChatGPT in the classroom can offer videos and premade lessons for students who do not understand or need a clearer interpretation of the material. Studying with AI can be helpful by providing personalized questions and conversations for each specific student, and can provide help in specific areas when needed, and providing educational games to make learning fun.
Other than personal resources, AI can help differently-abled kids feel more like they are a part of the classroom that they belong in. As indicated by ProCon, people with speech impediments or hearing impairments can be helped by Siri, Alexa, and other built-in audio devices to help communicate.
People who are physically challenged can be aided with enhanced navigational systems so they are able to engaged in more classroom activities. Apps installed or downloaded on devices that can describe signs, read texts, and much more can assist visually impaired students. Making these students feel welcomed is very important, especially in their younger years when their brain and social skills are not fully developed. Along with students, teachers also benefit from AI in many ways. Most high school teachers have around seven classes a day with 20-30 students in each class. Students appreciate getting their tests back as soon as possible to understand what they did wrong and relearn it for the future.
AI can provide premade lesson plans customized for different classrooms that could benefit the students better than what the teacher had originally planned. AI can help complete grading fast for the student’s benefit and so the teachers do not have piles of ungraded tests on their desks for weeks. Although teachers mainly voice their opinions about why AI is bad for children and their schools, it can help them just as much.
According to Pew Research Center, 52% of Americans are against AI but some may look at that as 52% of Americans are afraid of change. Calculators do not eliminate or lessen the amount of math students do, they jusy allow the math to be done more efficiently.
Thanks to Google and other search engines, everything people need to know or find is accessible. Students are still learning the material they need to, but the devices give them a better understanding and make it more efficient. Change is not always what is needed but with AI, some changes can be benificial.
Letting AI change students’ lives gives them more resources for our students, it makes kids who need extra help feel included and welcomed in the classroom, and it helps teachers be more efficient when helping students.
Rather than picking apart the negatives of AI in academics, people should look at the positives of improving and upgrading students’ ability to learn. These kids are the future. They are future presidents, lawyers, doctors, and educators. The more they are benefited now, the better all of our futures will be. Accept AI for the benefit of the future, stop wondering, and give these questions an answer.
