The Role of Generative AI in Education

This week in class, we explored artificial intelligence tools and the role they may play in our teaching practices. We improved our own AI literacy by practicing using GenAI tools in a variety of different ways, including writing prompts for lesson planning, learning resources, and assessment tools. In my blog post for this week, I aim to reflect on the major limitations of Generative AI systems and the usefulness of GenAI for educational purposes. There are many important considerations related to the use of GenAI in the field of education, and it is a complex topic that is very important to engage in discussion on. As future teachers, we have a vital role to play in this discussion, especially as Generative AI continues to evolve.

What are some major limitations of GenAI?

GenAI tools can produce biased responses that lack transparency and accuracy. These tools can create outputs that sound convincing, but they are, in fact, false. When using GenAI tools, it is important to double-check the information you receive. Research has shown that GenAI responses can have high error rates, especially in longer responses or passages. However, another limitation of GenAI is that the conversational and often persuasive nature of GenAI can make it challenging for people to spot errors in information outputs. This is especially true if an individual is relying on GenAI to provide them with information on a topic they know little about; it can be harder to spot inconsistencies or errors when you are not sure what you are looking for. Often, GenAI responses combine information from multiple sources as well, making it challenging to decipher where specific information is coming from and verify the accuracy of responses.

How can GenAI be useful or not for educational purposes?

GenAI has shown significant advancements in recent years that highlight the promise this resource has for educational enhancement. However, GenAI is most effective when it is used as a supplemental resource as opposed to a replacement for current tools, resources, and systems. I have found GenAI tools useful for generating ideas and graphic designs/concepts in relation to lesson planning, resource creation, and formatting assessment tools. GenAI can, without a doubt, save teachers time and resources. Using GenAI to offload simpler tasks can help teachers focus on deeper critical thinking, learning, and teaching. It provides faster access to information and offers personalized results for users. However, as we have learned this week, GenAI makes mistakes (and makes them quite often).

GenAI and other AI tools will only continue to advance in the coming years. Whether or not teachers or educational institutions choose to integrate AI into students’ learning, AI is something students will have access to. Educating both students and teachers on AI literacy and the responsible use of AI will be necessary moving forward, not only for transparency but also for safety and privacy purposes. It is important to educate students on how to use GenAI appropriately as a tool to supplement their learning, not as a source to rely on for information. Educational settings will have to set rules and regulations in place for students’ AI usage as it relates to learning and what GenAI tools they can access at school. While Gen AI tools can be useful, I do not think that they should be readily accessible for students to access during school hours; The activities students complete during school should, for the most part, be completed without relying on AI systems. Of course, there will always be exceptions (for example, how can we teach responsible AI usage without allowing students to access GenAI?), but I would argue that allowing students constant access to AI tools could potentially lead to an overreliance on these AI systems and a degradation of critical thinking and analysis skills in students. While AI can stimulate some aspects of educational interactions, it fails to replicate the deeper engagement of human interaction. Students learn skills related to language and social development through communication with others, and AI fails to replicate these skills accurately. When students immediately turn to AI to solve their problems, they fail to engage in critical thinking practices.