Over the past few years, artificial intelligence has gone from a niche technology to one that is accessible to nearly anyone with an internet connection. AI tools have rapidly changed how people work across many industries. Education is no exception.
When used thoughtfully, AI makes our work more efficient, accurate, and innovative. It can potentially transform education dramatically for teachers, students, and administrators alike.
But what exactly will this transformation look like? Let’s examine artificial intelligence in education as it stands now, its unique benefits, and how it may evolve.
What is AI in Education?
Broadly, artificial intelligence is a computer-based technology that performs tasks traditionally associated with human intelligence. With AI, computers can solve complex problems, generate text and images, assess data, and more.
There are many subtypes of artificial intelligence technology. These include:
- Machine learning: Computers learn and adjust output without being explicitly programmed by humans.
- Natural language processing: Machines process, analyze, and interact with human language.
- Robotics: Automated machines replicate human actions, often with the goal of handling rote or highly physical tasks.
- Generative AI: Computers generate text, images, video, and other media using human prompts.
AI provides support in the classroom and other educational settings in a variety of ways. One of the most exciting examples of education AI is automated grading, which can assess and grade quizzes, tests, and essays. This way, teachers don’t have to process assignments manually, freeing up time for more impactful work.
This is just the tip of the iceberg regarding AI in education. As it advances, this technology will provide personalized student support, generate lesson plans, and much more.
It’s highly unlikely that AI will ever fully replace teachers and other professional educators. Instead, AI will assist educators, enabling them to provide even better support and guidance to students.
The Rise of Artificial Intelligence in Schools and Educational Settings
Over the past few years, AI technology has become readily accessible to mainstream consumers, and educators are already using it in their classrooms. One study found that 60% of teachers are using artificial intelligence in some capacity, with AI-powered educational games being a common application.
Generative AI platforms like ChatGPT are also popular tools among educators, and many are finding innovative ways to use them in lesson planning. AI is helpful for ideation and research when planning lessons because it makes the process much more efficient.
Although generative AI is a powerful tool, it presents unique ethical challenges for educators. Students can also access tools like ChatGPT, and some are using AI to complete assignments. Relying on generative AI tools can be detrimental to a student’s education. As a result, many institutions have banned AI in schools for students.
Teachers are using AI-powered tools to detect generative AI use on student assignments. While these tools are designed to scan student work for AI use, they aren’t always accurate. These tools have helped discourage students from relying on AI, making the evaluation and grading process easier for teachers.
AI has also forced educators to evaluate the traditional methods of testing and essay writing as a measurement of student performance. While it’s too early to say how students will be graded or even what form evaluations will take, the spread of artificial intelligence may help create better testing and teaching methods that help more students learn.
The Benefits of AI in Education
Although this technology is still new, it is already benefiting students and teachers. Here are some of the unique advantages of using AI in learning.
Personalized Learning
Primary and secondary educators often work with more than 25 students per class, while college and university professors might simultaneously give lectures to hundreds of students. This means they don’t have the time or resources to provide personalized guidance to every student.
With AI technology, students can access lessons personalized to their unique needs based on past performance. This personalization has the potential to help them retain information more effectively and perform better on assignments. AI can adapt one lesson to suit a variety of learning styles and needs. If a student struggles with a specific concept, the AI can provide more in-depth explanations and practice exercises.
AI technology also provides extra support for students with disabilities to level the playing field in the classroom. For example, AI can automatically convert a written lesson to large-print or audio formats for students with limited vision.
We’ve seen this concept applied in consumer-facing apps. Language apps already use AI to create personalized practice units for users based on the questions they’ve missed. In the future, we’ll likely see more platforms specifically for the classroom that combine AI and education in this way.
Increased Engagement
Another benefit of using AI in the classroom is the potential for increased engagement among students. Students are curious about AI and what it can do. Using it ethically in the classroom can pique their interest and help them understand important concepts.
Teachers can incorporate AI into games as part of their lessons, which provides an interactive alternative to a standard lecture. Instructors can also use generative AI to help students practice their critical thinking skills by analyzing the accuracies and inaccuracies in AI-generated images and texts. This provides a more ethical alternative to using generative AI in their own work.
As AI technology improves, chatbots could also serve as personal tutors. Access to this technology can help students stay engaged in the classroom because it could give them personalized attention. This could be particularly helpful in areas with limited educational resources, as the chatbot could access more information than a teacher may have on hand. Chatbots can also help overwhelmed educators with data on how students perform and what they ask for help with.
Efficiency
One of the biggest benefits of using AI in the classroom is increased efficiency for teachers and administrators. Teachers have a lot on their plates at any given time, and AI tools handle repetitive or time-consuming tasks to make balancing their schedules easier.
AI tools can grade tests and quizzes automatically and even assess essays with some oversight. Since grading is such a time-consuming process, this is a huge benefit that gives teachers much of their valuable time back.
Real-Time Improvements
Teachers are constantly looking for ways to improve their lessons, but opportunities to get feedback from others are rare. AI tools could provide real-time feedback on lesson plans and other educational materials to help teachers improve and prevent lesson plans from becoming static. AI could also provide data and analytics about student performance to help educators identify trends inside their classrooms that they might not have noticed.
Examples of AI in Education
Educators are already using AI in the classroom in so many exciting ways. Here are some ways AI is enhancing educational settings.
- Analytics: AI can examine a school’s data holistically to identify trends, patterns, and potential areas for improvement.
- Scheduling: AI removes the headache of manual class scheduling by creating schedules automatically based on teacher and student input.
- Grading: AI can grade multiple-choice exams automatically and provide helpful analysis when grading open-ended responses.
- Tutoring: If students struggle with a particular concept, AI tools can provide extra explanations and practice exercises to help them learn. This is particularly effective for math and science concepts, where there is less room for AI error.
- Lesson planning: Educators can use AI as an assistant when planning lessons, using it to help form creative ideas and polish presentations.
- Equitable access: AI makes educational materials accessible to a wider range of students, translating lessons into different formats and even different languages.
- Gamification: Teachers can use AI-powered games in the classroom to provide fun, relevant, and engaging learning experiences.
- Plagiarism and AI detection: Instructors can use AI tools to assess student work and determine when they plagiarize or use AI.
- Cybersecurity: Higher education institutions are popular targets for cyberattacks. Schools can use AI to identify digital threats and prevent data breaches before they happen.
- Finances: Administrators can use AI to assess and balance school budgets to help ensure funding is appropriately distributed.
The Future of AI in Education
Right now, mixing artificial intelligence and education is limited, as many AI platforms are still in their early stages. However, as AI becomes more advanced, we will likely see it implemented in education in many ways.
Upcoming versions of edtech software platforms will likely include more AI-based tools. For example, students may get access to real-time AI-generated feedback on their work, while teachers and administrators will get access to predictive analytics regarding student performance and development.
However, there are also ethical concerns to be aware of. Many people are worried about the potential for plagiarism when using generative AI tools. There’s also the concern that frequent use of AI could weaken critical thinking skills among students and education professionals. Teachers need to be aware of these concerns while using AI technology.
Understanding how AI tools work and how to use them will be paramount for educators moving forward. While AI can never fully replace a great teacher, teachers who learn to use AI will be better equipped to thrive in this new technology-driven environment.
Why Educators Should Consider a Master's in AI
AI is complex. For many educators, advanced training will be necessary to understand how it works and how to use the newest generation of AI-powered tools.
Getting a Master’s degree in AI can help prepare you for the future. An advanced degree can help you stay at the top of your game rather than falling behind as technology advances. A Master’s in AI teaches you how AI technology works and prepares you to design and implement AI programs in real-world settings. This degree also covers the ethical and legal implications of AI development.
This degree gives you the skills and knowledge to combine education and AI ethically and effectively. Completing an AI degree is also a great way to prepare for leadership roles and expand your future career possibilities. As AI becomes more widespread, people who understand that technology and its applications will be uniquely qualified to help design better versions of the technology and train users.
Get a Master's in Artificial Intelligence at California Miramar University
California Miramar University offers a unique Master’s degree in artificial intelligence that helps prepare students like you for successful careers across many industries. This program delves into the complexities of AI theory and technology to prepare you for how AI will become an important part of real-world applications and scenarios.
You will take 33 course hours with additional electives available. We offer accelerated 8-week classes with flexible year-round offerings to fit your schedule. This is just one of CMU’s cutting-edge academic programs designed to help students like you launch successful careers in the modern working world. Apply today to become a pioneer of artificial intelligence in education.