
There can be no doubt that we’re living in the age of artificial intelligence. This burgeoning tech is being implemented in dozens of niches and industries. What’s remarkable, though, is that as advanced as the various bots and programs seem that are currently available, they’re probably rudimentary when we look at what’s likely to come our way shortly.
Education is one area where this is certainly the case. You could make the argument that this is a time when students have more options for doing their homework than ever before.
For instance, a college freshman might go online and Google a phrase like “write my assignment” or “do my assignment for me.” Within seconds, they can locate a cheap online assignment service like Studybay.
There, they can hire a professional who has an advanced degree in the subject the student is taking. For a nominal fee, that freshman might hire this individual and ask them to revise a paper or to help them with some aspect of it that’s giving them trouble.
However, that expenditure can be avoided when the young person who is struggling uses one of the many free online AI programs instead. ChatGPT is one example, but there are many more.
How will this kind of tech and those that are coming affect development and education? It’s a subject worth exploring in greater detail, so let’s do so right now.
The Future of Academic-Style Writing
Let’s start by talking about the kinds of papers and essays the average young person at the collegiate level might be assigned by a professor. Regardless of what subject it is that we’re talking about, it’s becoming increasingly likely that what a young person might turn in will be partially written by a generative AI tool, or at least impacted by it. Even if such a student elects not to have the bot write any of the essay, they might still:
- Use an automated program to checker for any plagiarism issues
- Use it to check for issues with spelling, grammar, syntax, punctuation, etc.
- Utilize it to make sure they are citing their references correctly
Even if an instructor explicitly states that they consider it to be cause for failure if a student uses artificial intelligence for help in any way, it’s going to become increasingly difficult to enforce that. Even if one of the individuals in a professor’s class elects to write the majority of their paper on their own, asking a bot for help during the revision process will probably be too tempting for such a student to pass up.
Because of this, it is probably going to become necessary for professors to make some concessions, even if they are very resistant to technology. This sort of tech is rapidly becoming so ingrained in academia that instructors will soon have little choice but to allow its use, at least to some degree.
What About with Younger Children?
While individuals in the higher echelons of academia may grumble about underclassmen using generative AI for help with their homework, younger pupils should also find it helpful. In grade school, some teachers are more receptive to what various bots and programs can do.
For instance, there are programs and bots that are ideal for:
- Tailoring educational content to each child’s individual needs
- Challenging the one-size-fits-all model of learning that has been accepted as the norm for generations
A classroom might have computer terminals or laptops that the children can share. The right artificial intelligence program can create a more personalized and adaptive learning environment for each child once it assesses each one and determines their aptitude.
There can be times of individual learning, facilitated by these AI-infused programs, and also communal classroom time so that the kids are still encouraged to interact with each other and to form human bonds. Many educators of younger kids are excited by this prospect.
The Evolution of a Teacher’s Role
Teachers may find that they will start to get away from a conventional role as currently defined. Instead, they might:
- Go from being lecturers to facilitators offering emotional support and emphasizing mentorship
- Help each young person to formulate a personalized learning journey with help from an approved form of AI
In the near future, a teacher’s everyday tasks may be different from what they were a couple of decades ago. Of course, that assumes they are willing to accept this new tech rather than fighting against it.
New Educational Models Are Likely to Emerge
It’s also true that because of the new technology that’s rapidly emerging, some disabled individuals who would find it hard to get to an in-person classroom can still participate. Kids can engage with their classmates and instructors from home.
- They can explore virtual classrooms
- They can check out adaptive learning platforms sanctioned by their school
- They can take part in gamified learning experiences if it is determined that is the best way they’re learning the material
Learning and gaining the necessary skill set to be successful in life will now be possible in new ways and in diverse locales. It’s another way traditional schooling methods are likely to be left by the wayside in the coming years.
What Else Can Artificial Intelligence Do in a Schooling Environment?
In addition to what we’ve already mentioned, this new tech should be instrumental in fostering global inclusivity and accessibility. In the past, there were student exchange programs where a young person from a different country might go overseas for a month to be immersed in a new culture.
Now, they can essentially do that without ever leaving home. Artificial intelligence can be the facilitator as kids from multiple countries explore the same virtual space and interact with each other. Education can take place in digital environments that should thrill young people and hold their focus.
There will also be tutoring systems that can deliver insight and real-time feedback to an instructor regarding how a child learns. If it seems likely that a young person is exhibiting the signs of ADHD or another developmental disorder, the bot can make that assessment, and the teacher can then adjust their lesson plan accordingly.
It’s clear that the best is yet to come with AI and education. The faculty and administrators at all levels of academia who embrace this tech will probably do a lot more good for the children than those who are resistant to it.