OVID-19 completely changed ordinary notions of academic content and delivery. Students, no longer able to receive in-person instruction, found themselves learning how to learn in remote and often less than ideal conditions. Over the same period, the use of the world’s most popular AI engine—ChatGPT—achieved widespread adoption. ChatGPT spread AI like wildfire, as it made the once complicated wielding of natural language processing, child’s play.
Eventually, the world emerged out of the global pandemic with both education and AI continuing their respective trajectories. Schools, administrators, and oversight agencies reported material declines in testing and aptitude scores across the United States. Dubbed the COVID Academic Gap, it’s important to note that these learning losses, in addition to being felt globally, had a disparate impact on poorer countries and widened already existing levels of inequality in education. A Robitussin of sorts—AI clamors as the antidote for nearly every private and public sector ailment. We are witnessing an unstoppable AI economy forming and taking footing as it is fueled by practically unlimited capital from venture and private equity firms.
Naturally, with the help of AI, education might be ready to close the gap. Perhaps the perfect pairing, education can benefit from AI and vice versa. Of course, there are legitimate uses of AI outside of student impropriety. From improvements in learning modalities to refinements in the methods of instruction, AI is certainly making a difference. But there’s one application of AI in education that appears to get little if any attention. Imagine if AI could fill the COVID Academic Gap with, well, AI. If AI is the future (and indeed it appears to be), then adopting and teaching AI as a discrete and distinct course where students can learn the underpinning precepts of AI theory and practicum seems like a pathway that shouldn’t just be entertained, but aggressively explored.
This evolution of education isn’t just new; it’s also been proven successful. For instance, many endeavors have developed and deployed indispensable technologies as standard curricula in academic settings. Consider the impactful results of teaching youth coding and programming languages as an accepted discipline not just in the United States but across the globe. Perhaps it’s time to close the learning gaps in conventional areas of study (e.g., math and science) with what we know is the definitive future.
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Academic Intelligence: The Evolution of Education Through AI
January 18, 2024
The pandemic disrupted education and resulted in learning losses, but it also helped kickstart adoption of generative AI such as ChatGPT. Now, we have the opportunity to mobilize AI to help bolster the education sector—especially those regions hit hardest by learning losses, writes Ike Ikeme.
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OVID-19 completely changed ordinary notions of academic content and delivery. Students, no longer able to receive in-person instruction, found themselves learning how to learn in remote and often less than ideal conditions. Over the same period, the use of the world’s most popular AI engine—ChatGPT—achieved widespread adoption. ChatGPT spread AI like wildfire, as it made the once complicated wielding of natural language processing, child’s play.
Eventually, the world emerged out of the global pandemic with both education and AI continuing their respective trajectories. Schools, administrators, and oversight agencies reported material declines in testing and aptitude scores across the United States. Dubbed the COVID Academic Gap, it’s important to note that these learning losses, in addition to being felt globally, had a disparate impact on poorer countries and widened already existing levels of inequality in education. A Robitussin of sorts—AI clamors as the antidote for nearly every private and public sector ailment. We are witnessing an unstoppable AI economy forming and taking footing as it is fueled by practically unlimited capital from venture and private equity firms.
Naturally, with the help of AI, education might be ready to close the gap. Perhaps the perfect pairing, education can benefit from AI and vice versa. Of course, there are legitimate uses of AI outside of student impropriety. From improvements in learning modalities to refinements in the methods of instruction, AI is certainly making a difference. But there’s one application of AI in education that appears to get little if any attention. Imagine if AI could fill the COVID Academic Gap with, well, AI. If AI is the future (and indeed it appears to be), then adopting and teaching AI as a discrete and distinct course where students can learn the underpinning precepts of AI theory and practicum seems like a pathway that shouldn’t just be entertained, but aggressively explored.
This evolution of education isn’t just new; it’s also been proven successful. For instance, many endeavors have developed and deployed indispensable technologies as standard curricula in academic settings. Consider the impactful results of teaching youth coding and programming languages as an accepted discipline not just in the United States but across the globe. Perhaps it’s time to close the learning gaps in conventional areas of study (e.g., math and science) with what we know is the definitive future.
