Navigate A Career In Teaching While Embracing AI

Which teacher do you remember, the one who made routine studies fun or the one who treated teaching as a mundane task? Well, we all know the answer to that question.

Today, as the world embraces AI (Artificial Intelligence) technology as a worthy teacher there are some valid questions that may arise. An AI trainer may be the most intelligent in the room, but aloof to human details which are absolutely necessary for effective learning. Human beings function on emotional connection which an AI cannot build.

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Breaking The Myths Of Artificial Intelligence?

When an AI was asked how it thinks it is better than a human in teaching it boasted about self on the following points. It feels that it is quick to answer any question however complex the topic is.

As a teacher, it can be accessible to its students anytime and anywhere which is difficult for a human being to do. The AI confirmed that since it is a machine it is immune to biassed attitudes during the evaluation of a student. But, perhaps AI overrated its capabilities. Let’s break misconceptions one by one.

Instant Knowledge

The first one to answer a question is not always the most accurate. AI gives you answers in the blink of an eye to prompt you to provide them. But it misses the goal when it comes to the depth of the answer. The AI provides a generalised touch, whereas a human understands a question, and comprehends it. It then appropriately answers as per the level and depth the questioner is looking for.

Availability

AI may be available to the student with a click of a button. But teachers build genuine bonds with their students. Teachers become the mentor of a student’s academic life. Students can always ask a question, and the teacher will give an answer with a personal touch.

Efficiency

AI technology is great at making tasks easier and faster. But, this fast pace does not guarantee overall development in a student. When it comes to teaching important skills like thinking critically, being creative, and getting along with others, human teachers are the ones who do their best.

Unbiased Evaluation

AI evaluates an assignment of the student without any biases but it is limited to providing objective feedback. Teachers on the other hand provide subjective analysis for the holistic development of a student.

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How Teachers Are Better Than AI?

Understand Interpersonal Interactions

AI may be ‘the know it’ thing. Yet, fails to deliver certain pivotal aspects of student growth. Humans make bonds vital for personal development. Their understanding, empathy, and motivational skills surpass AI's reach. Teachers through their hard work become role models for students.AI can never see something to get inspired with.

Can Read the Classroom

Discussion is an important part of the learning process. Teacher when teaching a topic keeps the ground open for queries, debates, and disagreements. AI struggles to replicate this basic step of student development. Experiences like group discussions, field trips, and conflict resolution can only be conducted by humans essential in shaping well-rounded individuals.

More Be Creative In Keeping Students Motivated

AI falls short in providing mentorship like physical education. AI can keep a record of performance, human intervention is mandatory for the motivation of physical fitness and coaching of a sports team. Similarly, AI can build creative skills like painting, sketching, and writing in a student’s learning process. The human element becomes a necessity in such situations.

Give Enthusiastic and Productive Feedback

Every student needs persistent feedback on their academic performance and behaviour before the end of the year. The teacher does a personal evaluation of each student and gives feedback accordingly. AI measures every student on a single parameter and thus has a poor feedback mechanism. It can become a roadblock in the growth of the student.

A Teacher’s Take

Tanuja Sinha, a retired primary school teacher at Nazareth Academy, Gaya feels that teachers are irreplaceable. She mentions that at home, parents play a vital role in a child's life. But as they grow up teachers replace the parents. She considers imitation is one of the most important processes of learning. Her perspective is that we learn by imitating each other to develop personalities. Children as infants imitate their parents to speak, walk, eat etc. As they begin to reach the school they start imitating their teacher.

She also feels warmth which is also important, especially during the formative years of education, and cannot be replaced by Artificial Intelligence.

Sinha adds that adaptation is another process in the process of learning. Smaller children very easily adapt to what they see and hear. Teachers place individual care to the children based on their ability, knowledge etc. Since every child is not of the same mental level a teacher provides care and attention varying from student to student. For now, it's difficult for AI to provide personalised student attention.

Having said that, we can neglect the role of AI in the teaching sector. There are no second doubts that AI has made the job of teachers easier. Teachers being irreplaceable, cab always uses AI to take a student’s learning experience to the next level.

How AI Can Assist Teachers?

AI as a teaching assistant can remove teachers from doing redundant tasks like grading, making lesson plans, etc. Teachers can collaborate with AI to make interesting plans. Humans have limited memory. AI with unquestionable knowledge can help teachers gather information about any topic they are struggling with while teaching. AI with worldwide prevalence can facilitate students of different linguistic backgrounds to be a part of a global classroom. Various translator bots are available to translate the ongoing lecture from a foreign language into the native language.AI and can also replace clerical activities performed by teachers submitting assignments and other admin activities. This saves time for teachers to focus on things that are more important.

AI as an assistance model can in giving feedback for multiple choice questions and writing assistance by not teaching how to write but to take writing abilities to the next level.

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What Can Teachers Do To Stay Relevant?

AI is here to stay. So it is very important for teachers to evolve accordingly. While some argue that AI lacks the capacity to replace the social-emotional competencies cultivated through human interaction, teachers can harness generative AI technologies to amplify their impact. It has become imperative for teachers to gain AI literacy. This will make AI assistance in teaching easier and upgrade their teaching skills to be ready for the future. The dependence on traditional techniques like typical lectures, basic assessments, and unconstructive feedback is not appreciated and can be proven risky. Embracing AI challenges is pivotal to teachers' continued relevance and effectiveness. Teachers who resist this change are doomed to be replaced.

Whatever an AI can do is limited to the information it has been designed for, it can never provide guidance with an emotional quotient like a teacher does.