Teaching and AI — new tools, new methods

Why do we have to go to back to school?

Good question. As teachers and students get prepared to start the new school year, the effect of artificial intelligence in the classroom looms large. For students, they may wonder what’s the point of school at all if AI can give them any answer they want with a few keystrokes. To the teacher, they may be wondering if their jobs are going to be outsourced since their expertise is no longer relevant in a world of expert bots at the ready.

This is the same age-old discussion that has taken place whenever new technology has come along. Sure, AI can provide all the answers. Before that, Google was able to provide the answers. Farther back, books held all the knowledge. And even before books, a wise town sage was able to provide all the answers. But school is never just about getting the answers.

Technology, especially now in the age of AI, facilitates an even greater shift in the teacher and student roles. The shift that unlimited access to information and content creation in the classroom provides means that teachers can be less of a sage on the stage, and more of a guide on the side.