Artificial Intelligence (AI) in education is not just a passing trend. In the same way that the car improved upon the horse and buggy and the cell phone replaced the payphone, AI is being used to benefit businesses and education worldwide. Regardless of personal opinion, AI is the next phase and tool for providing students with a valuable education, and it will continue to be essential to empower and prepare students to use AI in the workplace.
In the December issue of the AZEDition newsletter, Tom Horne, Arizona's Superintendent for Public Education, endorsed AI technology in the classroom. According to Superintendent Horne, "The state of Arizona has allocated $1.5 million to provide the first 100,000 teachers and students with free access to Khanmigo" (Horne, 2024). Khanmigo is an educational AI system developed by Salman Khan, the founder of the academic website Khan Academy. Khanmigo and other AI educational programs offer students one-to-one support and tutoring; it will provide feedback on work based on a teacher rubric, and it can give students a chance to "talk" to historical figures, explore career options, and create.
While AI has many benefits, it also has many concerns. Some AI platforms will give students answers instead of tutoring them to discover the answers. Additionally, there are valid concerns about ethics, outside influences, and privacy. While these concerns are valid, educators must accept that students are already accessing and using AI websites independently. Therefore, we should start teaching students how to use educational AI responsibly and encourage them to use platforms that follow strict student privacy and interaction guidelines.
In the end, the world of AI has come, and while the footing may seem tricky, it will be up to educators to help students navigate this world and prepare them for the future of AI. Just as educators at the turn of the millennium helped students learn the Internet, word processors, PowerPoint, and communication through email, parents and communities will look to educators to prepare students for AI use in the workforce and their daily lives.
For further information about some educational AI programs, see the following websites: www.magicschool.ai and www.khanmigo.ai. Also, for more information, see the interview with Salman Khan and his discussions about the educational benefits and ethical concerns regarding AI here.
Bibliography
Concepcion, R. (2024, February 16). Changing how we think and teach with AI. LinkedIn. https://media.licdn.com/dms/image/v2/D4E12AQEZ92X_9vGYmQ/article-cover_image-shrink_720_1280/article-cover_image-shrink_720_1280/0/1708048914147?e=2147483647&v=beta&t=NW8aS44THuFX9ypJzV6kZVMVe1D2Rur7GZlm4IvYHFw
Horne, Tom. "A Message from Superintendent Tom Horne." AZEDition, December 2024, AZEDition Newsletter Dec 2024.pdf