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Artificial intelligence in education: what happens to teachers?
The emergence of automation and artificial intelligence began to transform the world in many sectors and will continue to do so. But are we prepared for machines to do our work or can we work alongside them?
Currently there is some panic about job destruction, although this is not something new, as technological advances have always accompanied and fueled this fear. For this reason, today more than ever, it is necessary to support the idea of transformation and updating of jobs. After all, we are facing a new challenge: maximizing benefits and minimizing harm.
With reference to the academic field and, using calculators as an example, it is necessary to point out that, although initially they were not accepted by the teaching community, they were eventually recognized and became great collaborators for people to solve mathematical exercises, formulas, and any other operation.
Following the previous case, the teaching role and work also mutated throughout history, going from being "bibles of knowledge" to being guides for understanding. Due to the access to information provided by books and later the internet, technology and media shaped educators and their educational work. However, no change had questioned the role of teachers as the recent AI models have.
These models help students design, create, write, answer questions, write programming code – among other activities – with results that often make you wonder whether they are human production or not, which puts into focus not only the role of the teacher, but also that of education itself.
But then, are teachers needed with AI?
The answer is yes. While there are activities that teachers will need to replace due to their obsolescence in light of these tools, there are other approaches that can instead enhance learning by taking advantage of the use of new models.
In that sense, solving complex problems, building solutions in context and debates are practices that can be supported by the use of ChatGPT, Dall-e and Synthesia, to provide foundational elements, however ultimately, the one who will need to analyze, build and explain the answer will be the student.
The above is based on the fact that tools have always existed that allow access to information and data, but knowledge and skill development are generated through dynamics that involve reflection, connection with prior concepts, practice and know-how, as neuroscience highlights. For all these reasons, the concern should focus on how to promote meaningful learning for students, despite the great eruption of AI models these days.
That is precisely the main mission of the teacher in which they will not be replaced as long as their teaching methods are innovative and disruptive, because today, more than ever, the world needs to train people who are whole, ethical and who use technology responsibly, adding value to the environment, for which their knowledge and skills are essential.
To achieve this, artificial intelligence should be seen as an ally, a tool or support, that allows teachers to enhance and optimize their work, allowing them to focus on developing the new skills and learning that students require.
Plans for the present and near future
One thing is certain: the more social a job is, the better. Tasks that require interpersonal skills, empathy and effective communication are less likely to be replaced by automation, and that is precisely the case with teachers.
For all of the above, today it is vital that educators know the new AI models to interact with them and be able to get the most out of them when using them in learning spaces. Likewise, it is essential to leverage them in monitoring each student's performance, from feedback, classroom interaction and formative assessment.
In this way, teachers have today the most relevant role in their history: to give meaning to vast amounts of information, to foster creativity, logical and critical thinking, so that learning is meaningful and succeeds in training students who are enhanced by technology and not easily overcome or replaced by it.
If you were interested in this article, we invite you to share it and learn more about the advantages of virtual education for teachers.
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