Will AI Make School Obsolete?

Artificial Intelligence (AI) can do some extraordinary things that were previously reserved for educated persons. Now anyone can ask for a kind response to an email, provide a critical defense to an argument, write a blog post, graphic design and more. So with AI able to do what we have previously been training students to do… do we need to train students in these skills still? Will AI make school obsolete? Check out my course with OTIS on innovating teaching with ChatGPT.

What is the Purpose of School?

This is a complex question. You might think it is to “learn the basics” or “prepare students to get a job or the real world.” Whatever we may have thought of the purpose of school, this may change in terms of our immediate response to the question. I’m not sure it actually changes.

If the purpose of school is to find answers to math problems and be able to write a letter to your Congressman… then yes, AI has made school obsolete.

AI Should Make Schools More Humanizing

School is about people.

Teachers. Students. The Community.

School is where we learn to get along with others. To get interactions in class, at the lunch table, and in clubs and sports.

When AI Chatbots, Google Search, YouTube, etc… can take on the traditional outcomes of a class we are then tasks with priortizing other things.

How ChatGPT Thinks AI Chatbots Will Make School More Humanizing

🤖 AI chatbots have the potential to make schools more humanizing in several ways:

🤖 Personalized Learning

AI chatbots can provide personalized learning experiences for students by analyzing their learning preferences and adapting to their individual needs. This can help students feel more engaged and motivated in their studies, leading to better academic outcomes.

🤖 Supportive and Empathetic

AI chatbots can act as supportive and empathetic virtual companions for students, providing emotional support and guidance when needed. This can help students feel more connected to their school community and reduce feelings of isolation or anxiety.

🤖 Efficient and Streamlined Communication

AI chatbots can facilitate more efficient and streamlined communication between teachers, students, and parents. This can reduce administrative burden and create more time for meaningful interactions between educators and students.

🤖 Accessibility

AI chatbots can make education more accessible for students with disabilities. Chatbots can provide adaptive learning experiences that cater to different learning styles and abilities, allowing all students to have equal access to education.

🤖 Overall, AI chatbots can help create a more humanizing educational experience by providing personalized support, promoting inclusive learning environments, and facilitating more efficient communication.

What Google Bard Thinks About Humanizing Schools

Just for fun I added the same prompt to Google’s AI Chatbot Google Bard.

🤖 AI chatbots can humanize schools in a number of ways. They can:

🤖 Provide personalized attention to students.

AI chatbots can be programmed to understand each student’s individual needs and learning style. This allows them to provide personalized attention and support, which can help students feel more connected to their teachers and to the learning process.

🤖 Make learning more engaging and interactive.

AI chatbots can use a variety of multimedia and interactive features to make learning more engaging and interactive for students. This can help students stay motivated and interested in their studies.

🤖 Create a more inclusive learning environment.

AI chatbots can be programmed to be sensitive to the needs of all students, regardless of their background or abilities. This can help create a more inclusive learning environment where all students feel welcome and supported.

🤖 Free up teachers’ time.

AI chatbots can take on some of the tasks that teachers typically do, such as answering student questions and providing feedback. This can free up teachers’ time so they can focus on more important tasks, such as planning lessons and interacting with students.

🤖 Overall, AI chatbots have the potential to make schools more humanizing by providing personalized attention, making learning more engaging and interactive, creating a more inclusive learning environment, and freeing up teachers’ time.

30 – 200 Students Per Teacher

Some high school teachers have up to 200 students in a class. The drudgery of going over student papers and giving paperwork is insanely time consuming. The desire to make personalized and specific feedback is there, the time to do so makes it nearly impossible. Even at only 120 students (to make the math easy) and spending 3 minutes per student reviewing their work and leaving meaningful feedback comments would take 6 hours. And this assumes it is possible to give meaningful feedback comments in only 3 minutes. The time is not less for a self contained classroom since the students are producing multiple pieces of work each.

How can a teacher truly give students personalized attention, feedback and differentiated assignments without the time to do it?

Start with AI

It is coming that each student will have a personalized ChatBot to help them differentiate instruction, provide specific meaningful feedback, and to truly personalize the learning experience. Where are they at, what information do they need, what extension activities will support. All of that can be actually be done with a ChatBot.

So What Is the Role of the Teacher?

The role of a teacher is being what they do best… be human.

• Empathizing with students
• Building meaningful relationships with students
• Creating engaging and personalized learning experiences
• Building a sense of community in the classroom
• Nurturing creativity and curiosity in students
• Fostering critical thinking skills
• Providing mentorship and guidance
• Helping students develop important life skills
• Promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion
• Instilling a sense of curiosity and wonder about the world around them
• Fostering a sense of social responsibility and civic engagement
• Providing constructive feedback and assessment to support student growth
• Encouraging a growth mindset and a love of learning
• Serving as advocates for students, ensuring they have access to the resources and support they need to succeed
• Modeling positive behaviors and attitudes, such as respect, responsibility, and perseverance
• Supporting students’ social-emotional development and well-being
• Encouraging collaboration and teamwork among students
• Promoting digital literacy and responsible technology use

It is essential to remember that the role of a teacher extends far beyond the mere dissemination of information. The most effective teachers are those who are able to connect with their students on a human level, fostering meaningful relationships and creating a safe and supportive learning environment. By leveraging the power of AI chatbots, teachers can reduce administrative burdens and streamline communication, freeing up more time and energy to engage with their students on a personal level. This allows teachers to focus on what they do best – being human – and to use their skills and expertise to inspire and motivate students, instilling in them a love of learning that will serve them well throughout their lives. Ultimately, the integration of AI chatbots in education can help to support and enhance the essential human element of teaching, ensuring that students receive the personalized attention and guidance they need to thrive.

How We Teach Will Change

There is no reason to compete with robots. For teachers or students.

The rapid advancement of AI technology is changing the way we teach and learn, and there is no doubt that this trend will continue in the coming years. However, it’s important to remember that AI technology is not a replacement for teachers or students, but rather a tool that can be used to enhance and support learning experiences.

In the future, students and employees will have access to AI tools outside of school, which means that teachers will need to adapt their teaching methods to ensure that they are providing value beyond what can be achieved with technology alone. This means that the focus will shift from imparting information to students to creating learning experiences that utilize AI tools to take student learning to the next level.

Teachers will need to develop new skills and knowledge to effectively integrate AI tools into their teaching practice. This includes the ability to analyze and interpret data, to design and develop digital learning experiences. To work collaboratively with other educators, AI developers, and industry partners to create new and innovative approaches to teaching and learning.

Ultimately, how we teach will change as we embrace the potential of AI technology. However, the role of teachers and students in the learning process will remain as important as ever. Teachers will continue to play a critical role in inspiring and motivating students, fostering a love of learning, and creating supportive and engaging learning environments. Students will continue to bring their unique perspectives, creativity, and curiosity to the learning process. The key to success will be finding the right balance between human expertise and the power of AI technology to create truly transformative learning experiences.

Will AI Make School Obsolete?

AI tools can certainly enhance and support learning experiences. However, they cannot replace the critical role that teachers play in fostering meaningful relationships with students, providing mentorship and guidance, and creating supportive and engaging learning environments. Furthermore, schools serve important social and emotional functions beyond academic instruction. Providing a sense of community, promoting social and emotional development, and fostering a sense of civic responsibility and engagement. AI will undoubtedly change the way we teach and learn, but it will not replace the need for human expertise, creativity, and empathy in education.