Ever since AI became a prominent theme in all facets of human life, in one particular field it has generated much controversy.
The use of artificial intelligence has its pros and cons in any area. In the field of education, some regard AI as a threat to creativity.
This past week, the private schools sector of Puerto Rico held its annual convention in the capitol city of San Juan. A number of the sessions were on the very “hot topic” of AI.
I attended one of those sessions by Prof. Teresita Vázquez, an esteemed colleague whose field of practice is in the Spanish language. A questionnaire was administered to the 28 attendees on the topic: “The Use of Artificial Intelligence in the Educational Scenario.” The results were curious. I used AI to translate the Spanish Google Form into English. AI only translated the questions. I found that odd.
If I were to summarize the general findings, I would conclude that most of the teachers were familiar with AI based on what they knew. Half were neutral on the potential of AI to improve the learning experience. Over half stated that they did not implement AI-based technologies in their classes. Here I must say that it should be less than half; if not, how did they work during the pandemic if it wasn’t through the use of AI?
Of the twenty-eight (28) teachers, thirteen (13) thought that the biggest challenge in integrating AI in education was ethical. On the other hand, only 2 attendees had a pessimistic vision of the future with AI use in the field. I’d say that was a plus.
All agreed that artificial intelligence in the classroom is here to stay and are willing to work through its quirks. It’s through dynamics such as these that educators hash out their concerns in order to progress for the benefit of their learners. `~~LMM
Here’s a visual overview of the results:
Prof. Teresita Vázquez’s presentation
(How about using AI to translate?)