Education and Technology
A. Think about the following questions:
Do you use the internet or computer while studying?
To what extent do you take help from the internet to know about a new study term or word?
Do you think digital technology should be incorporated into classrooms?
B. Now read the following article and try to find the answers to the above questions.
AI in The Classroom: Pros, Cons and The Role Of EdTech Companies
By Olufemi Shonubi
Artificial intelligence has the potential to revolutionise the way we learn and teach. As a tool in the classroom, AI can provide students with personalised learning experiences, automate repetitive tasks and provide instant feedback. However, it also has its limitations. Let us explore the pros and cons of AI as a tool in the classroom, address the concern that AI could be a threat to teachers' and instructors' jobs and discuss the role of edtech companies in advancing this AI use case.
Advantages of AI in the Classroom
One of the main advantages I see of AI in the classroom is personalised learning. AI-powered educational tools can analyse data on student performance and provide tailored support to improve their grades.
AI can also provide instant feedback. For example, Al-powered educational tools can provide students with immediate feedback on their work, allowing them to identify and correct mistakes quickly.
Another advantage of AI is its ability to automate repetitive tasks. It can grade assignments and quizzes, which can free up teachers' time for other tasks, such as lesson planning and providing more one-on-one attention to students.
There are already a few AI tools that support learning in classroom or workplace contexts. For example, Ahura is an AI-powered learning assisant that tracks learning habits by observing attention and engagement. Knewton offers an adaptive learning platform that provides personalized learning experiences for English For Today students. Querium is an AI-powered tutor that provides students with step-by-step tutoring on math problems and builds personalized lesson plans. ALEKS is an AI-powered learning platform that provides individualized learning paths based on students' strengths and weaknesses. Carnegie Learning offers an AI-powered tutor that helps students improve their math skills by providing personalised learning based on their performance. There's also Smart Sparrow, which allows users to provide constructive feedback that is unique to each student. Finally, Gradescope is an AI-powered grading tool that automates the grading process, which can free up teachers' time and allow them to provide more individualised attention to students.
These are just a few examples of AI tools with applications in the classroom. It is important to note that these tools should not replace teachers but rather assist them in their work.
Downsides and Challenges of AI in the Classroom
Some teachers and instructors may see AI as a threat to their jobs, believing it will automate their tasks and make them redundant. But it is important to note that AI is not meant to replace teachers but rather to assist them in their work. AI is a tool and should be developed and used as such.
There are also negatives to consider, one of which is the cost of developing and implementing Al-powered educational tools. This can be a significant barrier for schools and teachers who need more resources to invest in AI technology.
There is also the lack of human interaction and emotional support that students receive when using AI-powered educational tools. While AI can provide personalized learning and instant feedback, it cannot replace the human and emotional support that students need to succeed, and relying too heavily on AI-powered educational tools may impact students negatively.
Privacy concerns are also a limitation of AI in the classroom. AI-powered educational tools may collect and store sensitive personal data, which raises concerns about privacy and security.
The Role of EdTech Companies
Edtech companies play a crucial role in advancing the use of AI in the classroom and ensuring that it is used ethically and responsibly. To do so, they should consider the following:
1. Cost: The cost of developing and implementing AI-powered educational tools can be a significant barrier for schools and teachers. Edtech companies should work to make AI technology accessible to a broader range of schools and teachers and explore alternative funding options, such as grants or partnerships, to help offset the costs.
2. Human interaction: AI-powered educational tools cannot replace the human and emotional support that students need to succeed. Edtech companies should aim to develop AI tools that augment, rather than replace, the role of teachers and provide students with a well-rounded education that includes both personalized learning and human interaction.
3. Privacy and security: Privacy concerns are a significant limitation of AI in the classroom. Edtech companies must ensure that the sensitive personal data collected and stored by AI-powered educational tools are properly secured and that privacy is maintained.
4. Improved AI capabilities: Current Al-powered educational tools have limitations, such as a lack of creativity and originality and a limited understanding of context. Edtech companies should aim to improve AI capabilities and overcome these limitations to create more advanced, innovative and effective AI tools for the classroom.
5. Ethical considerations: Edtech companies should consider the ethical implications of AI technology in education and develop AI tools in a transparent, fair and responsible manner. They must also ensure that they develop and use AI tools in accordance with the laws and regulations governing data privacy, security and intellectual property.
In conclusion, AI has the potential to be a valuable addition to the classroom. Still, edtech companies should develop AI tools with caution and in collaboration with teachers, educators and students to ensure that they are helpful, ethical and effective in meeting the needs of learners. I believe that AI could revolutionise the way we teach and learn.
C. Write true or false beside the following statements.
AI is always beneficial for students and teachers.
AI tools can provide personalised learning experiences for students.
The cost of implementing AI-based educational tools is not high.
Current AI-powered educational tools are full of creativity and originality.
AI-powered educational tools can replace the human and emotional support.
AI-powered educational tools can provide students with immediate feedback on their work.
D. Write answers to the following questions
What sort of repetitive tasks can be done by AI?
What advantages do you get in using AI-based educational tools?
What disadvantages are there of using AI-based educational tools?
Name some of the AI tools that various ed-tech companies have created and their functions?
"AI can make a student lazy and not study at all." -Do you agree with this statement? Justify your stance and explain this statement.
E. Write a one-line gist for each paragraph in the above article and paraphrase in 100 words. Please see the strategies of paraphrasing before completing this task.
F. How to Paraphrase
Paraphrasing refers to restating another piece of writing in new words while retaining the original passage's meaning. Unlike summarizing, in paraphrasing you include roughly the same amount of detail as the original work but adjust the language to demonstrate comprehension or make the text more understandable.
Paraphrasing is essential in academic writing as a way to use other people's ideas in your own work. Mixing in paraphrasing alongside direct quotes works well and can help your paper flow more naturally.
Steps to paraphrasing without plagiarising
1. Read the source articles thoroughly.
The first step in rewriting articles is to thoroughly understand the source material. Choose which passages you want to paraphrase. Look closely for points that support the topic you're writing your own paper about.
2. Try rewriting passages by memory.
Rewriting from memory forces you to come up with new ways to say the same message. You can then go back to your notes and the source material to make sure that all of your information is accurate and add anything you forgot.
3. Thoroughly rewrite by changing language and sentence structure.
Use synonyms to replace the essential words of an original passage with other words that mean the same thing, such as using scientist for researcher or seniors for the elderly. This is a common approach to paraphrasing, but it's not sufficient on its own.
• Editing the sentence structure by rearranging the order of certain phrases and clauses or combining or breaking apart sentences is another strategy for paraphrasing.
• Be careful that doing so doesn't cause you to overuse the passive voice.
• Sometimes, you can rephrase a sentence by changing the parts of speech, such as converting a gerund into the operative verb or turning an adjective into an adverb. This strategy depends on the wording of the original passage, so you may not always have the opportunity.
4. Check that your article rewording is different enough.
After writing a rough draft, review the original source to check that you changed enough. You want to avoid what's called "patchwriting," where the paraphrased text is too close to the original and the reader might recognize "patches" of it. This is also a good opportunity to verify that you have included all the correct information.
5. Review your content for accuracy and proofread your prose.
Paraphrasing is a ripe opportunity for introducing errors and inaccuracies. Make sure you haven't changed the meaning of the original work as you've adjusted its style and structure. Then use Grammarly to proofread your content for clarity, conciseness, and grammatical correctness.
6. Add the citations.
Last but not least, be sure to include the citation. Make sure you're using the correct citation format for your style, whether APA, MLA, or Chicago. If you're paraphrasing an article, most of the time you will use a parenthetical citation after the passage.
References:
Ellis, M. (2024, April 8). How to paraphrase (Without Plagiarizing a Thing). Grammarly Blog. How to paraphrase (Without Plagiarizing a Thing) | Grammarly
Shonubi, O. (2023, February 21). AI in the classroom: Pros, cons and the role of EdTech Companies. Forbes. AI In The Classroom: Pros, Cons And The Role Of EdTech Companies (forbes.com)