What do you do if artificial intelligence disrupts the education sector?

Education is, by definition, a future-focused enterprise and endeavour. That which we label 'disruption' might just be an early-warning signal that seismic change is on the horizon which will have a significant impact moving forward. Clearly, this is not always the case. Fads do come and go! However, AI probably isn't one of them. Thus, if AI is here to 'disrupt' the education sector by helping it to provide better educational experiences, outcomes and efficacy for students, then we (perhaps) have a duty to let it!

The sooner the curricula of the world move away from the importance of knowing “stuff” and further towards the importance of being able to search, find, sort, assimilate and process knowledge the better. Teach students to learn and develop higher order skills rather than assess their ability to remember - an important skill but one that is becoming more redundant than ever before. Our students need the ability to thrive in the data rich and GenAI world that they will have to live and work in. They have to understand the ethical and practical uses of these technologies as well as their limitations in the same way that mathematics teachers used to teach the limitations of the calculator!

The integration of artificial intelligence (AI) into the education sector presents both opportunities and challenges. While AI has the potential to revolutionize teaching and learning by personalizing education, automating administrative tasks, and providing advanced analytics, its adoption also disrupts traditional educational models. One significant challenge lies in ensuring equitable access to AI-powered educational tools, as marginalized communities may face barriers to technology adoption. Additionally, the integration of AI in education raises concerns about data privacy and algorithmic bias. For example, AI grading systems have been found to perpetuate biases, such as systematically lowering grades of female students in STEM fields.

One of my biggest concerns prior to being an advocate for AI, was data privacy, specifically following FERPA, and the transparency of where and how AI is coming to its conclusions or answering the prompt. I have since learned that Microsoft Copilot addressed these main concerns, by providing a private mode and also showing where information was pulled from. The main challenges posed here is making the assumptions that as educators, we are not already used to adapting, learning, and changing... As content area experts, educators will be the "prompt engineers" that will make sure the accuracy of AI.

I see AI as a powerful tool that can enhance learning experiences. Just as calculators didn't replace math teachers but made them more effective, AI can complement teachers by personalizing learning, freeing up time for creative and interactive teaching methods. For example, AI can analyze student data to suggest personalized learning paths, allowing teachers to focus on mentoring and facilitating deeper understanding. Embracing AI in education can lead to more efficient and impactful learning journeys.

AI's disruption in education requires leaders to develop skills in AI integration, data literacy, adaptive learning, and ethical AI governance. Competencies include fostering collaboration, innovation, and ensuring equitable access to AI-driven educational resources.

I am ready to embrace AI and am certainly using it to add information towards educational research. However in so doing I am seeing some errors which concern me. I teach Art at present but I also study Literature and I’ve worked as a Literature examiner in the past. I am seeing web AI generated critical book reviews on major platforms, that are incorrect. One example, and I’ve seen many written in that very distinctive AI style. A recent web plot summary of Tess of the D’Urbervilles, states that Tess returns to Alex and bears him a child, after her new husband leaves. This very significant event actually happens to a younger her, and before she meets Angel, and his reason for leaving her. It seems AI can’t be trusted in the creative field!

En Europa trabajamos con el Marco de Referencia de la Competencia Digital y es el que se está implementando en los centros a través de la formación del profesorado, pero cuidado, desde el boom de la IA en el aula se ha quedado muy desfasado. Es necesario una reformulación del mismo para incluir la IA en todas las áreas fundamentales del mismo. El cambio de paradigma es tal, que lo que servía hace dos años, ya no sirve.

Incorporating AI into educational leadership demands a blend of skills and competencies to navigate this evolving landscape effectively. Embrace adaptability and curiosity to stay abreast of AI advancements and their potential applications in education. Cultivate critical thinking and analytical abilities to assess AI tools' efficacy and impact on teaching and learning outcomes. Foster collaboration and communication skills to engage stakeholders and facilitate AI integration ethically and transparently. Prioritize empathy and understanding to ensure AI technologies align with student needs and promote inclusive educational practices.

12 months ago as AI tools became widespread, concerns surfaced about plagiarism and reduced critical thinking. Yet, our understanding has deepened; AI is adept at crafting initial drafts, but refinement hinges on human intervention and of course analytical skills. Emphasising skills such as critical thinking, creativity, and adaptability in both professional development and teaching is crucial. This approach encourages effective AI use in classrooms, underscoring that despite AI’s utility, human insight remains paramount for excellence and innovation. It’s vital that such skills are transferred to students to foster a generation that can critically engage with, adapt to, and ethically use AI.

Embracing AI in education demands a proactive approach that blends knowledge acquisition, collaboration, experimentation, and critical reflection. By staying abreast of AI advancements, involving stakeholders, integrating AI tools in curriculum, and assessing outcomes, educators can harness its potential while navigating associated challenges. This holistic strategy ensures a balanced and informed utilization of AI, fostering innovative and effective educational practices that prepare students for the demands of the future.

Para se apropriar dos impactos positivos e negativos da inteligência artificial na educação, fazer parte, se conectar com os especialistas e contribuir com os grupos de educadores, de tecnologia e andragogia do Linkedin, pode ser transformador.

Desde las instituciones y desde la dirección de las escuelas se ha de estar convencidos. No es tanto cuestión de fe sino de saber que no hay marcha atrás, por tanto es necesario abrazar estas nuevas necesidades capacitando a los profesores desde un liderazgo comprometido con el acompañamiento y la adquisición de competencia de todo el claustro de profesores. Es necesario entender la IA como el revulsivo que necesitaba la educación para el cambio metodológico necesario. Se venía hablando de cambio de paradigma, y mucho son las voces contrarias a este cambio, sin embargo pocos prevían la fuerza con la que la IA entraría en nuestras vidas, y lo que esta por llegar, así que, formación, capacitación, debate y acompañamiento.

La incursión de la IA en la educación es la "excusa" necesaria para el cambio metodológico que veníamos anunciando desde hace tiempo. Ahora sí ha llegado el momento. Ante una escuela de "respuestas fingidas" en donde lo importante era que el alumno reprodujera lo que el profesor quería que dijera, nos encontramos una realidad en donde ahora el profesor no puede discernir fácilmente si aquello que han creado los alumnos ha sido, realmente, generado por IA. Hemos de cambiar el concepto e incluso la función de la escuela para poder integrar la nueva realidad que la IA nos ofrece, y todo empieza desde una visión transformadora de los líderes actuales de educación, que acompañen a los demás a acogerla y a ponerla en práctica.

AI is disrupting every sector, education included. When so much of what is done in teaching is repetitive in a way that can benefit from the use of generative AI, it doesn’t make sense to ignore a tool that can reduce teacher workload in a real and beneficial way. Lesson plans, report comments, newsletter articles, curriculum documents, policy documents, work samples and assessment tasks are all examples of text based tasks which teachers undertake regularly. For all these tasks generative AI can learn effectively from countless previously produced documents to create excellent copy in a fraction of the time it takes a busy teacher. Try it if you haven’t yet. Reduce your workload. Thank me later.

AI’s integration into education holds the promise of a significantly improved work-life balance for teachers, potentially affording them the luxury of time for personal pursuits. Who knows, with the administrative load lightened and lesson planning streamlined through AI, a teacher might finally find the time to delve into that book they’ve been longing to read or catch up on a series on Netflix they’ve been putting off. This shift not only enhances educational quality but also underlines the importance of teacher well-being and self-care, acknowledging that a happy, well-rested teacher is integral to creating a positive and effective learning environment.

As a senior history teacher in Ireland, an AI experiment in my class offered a valuable lesson. Tasking AI with creating a moon landing timeline, it impressively listed astronauts’ scientific experiments but missed the iconic flag planting. This glaring omission was a wake-up call. It demonstrated AI’s potential and its limitations, teaching us the critical importance of scrutinising and questioning AI-generated content. Bottom line : While AI can vastly extend our knowledge, the human role in evaluating its accuracy and significance remains irreplaceable. It’s a reminder that in this AI age, critical thinking and fact-checking are certainly indispensable skills.

É importante que os professores estejam preparados para usar a IA de forma eficaz na sala de aula. Isso pode ser feito por meio de programas de treinamento e desenvolvimento profissional que os ensinem como usar a IA para personalizar o aprendizado, criar avaliações mais precisas e automatizar tarefas repetitivas.

Human factor is irreplacable. Here, Beyoncé contributed her part one IRREPLACABLE. It's all about emotions, irony, figures of speech, and the like. Most od all, IT the ability od being a visionary addicted to na idea. AI lacks these.