Dear Editor,

The use of artificial intelligence (AI) in education is rapidly evolving, raising both excitement and concerns among educators, parents, and industry stakeholders.

While AI promises to personalise learning, identify gaps in knowledge, and make education more engaging, it is essential to use it to enhance human creativity rather than replace traditional methods. By traditional methods, I refer to the time-tested approaches in which teachers lead instruction; students engage in face-to-face classroom interactions; and learning involves textbooks, hands-on activities, and critical-thinking exercises guided by educators. But is this being replaced by AI?

To begin with, AI can play a pivotal role in personalising education. I have seen this first-hand with a person who often struggles with her maths homework but showed remarkable improvement when using an AI tool like
Claude and Khan Academy AI. This tool facilitates creative writing activities and maths workout explanations by guiding children through the process. By interacting with AI, children can explore their creativity in a structured yet flexible environment. This approach is detailed in Brave New Words by Salman Khan, a book I read this year and highly recommend.

In classrooms, teachers often face the challenge of catering to diverse learning needs and have difficulty implementing differentiated pedagogy within a limited time. AI can alleviate this by providing tailored feedback and resources to each student. For example, AI tutors can monitor a student’s progress in real-time and suggest personalised practice routines or supplementary materials. This targeted approach ensures that students receive the specific help they need, fostering a more effective learning environment.

At its core, AI can identify and address individual learning gaps more efficiently than traditional methods; it is like an assistant. Before
ChatGPT, students would turn to YouTube or lectures and Google for quick-search answers. ChatGPT combines these functionalities and aids within seconds. However, it is important to note that the input matters significantly. The prompt should be as detailed as possible – expository writing, for instance, instead of simply asking, “How do I solve this math problem?”

The student should provide context and specifics about the problem he or she is facing, such as the type of equation, the variables involved, and any steps he or she has already attempted. This ensures that ChatGPT can generate relevant and helpful responses, empowering the student to deepen his or her understanding and master the concept. In summary, ChatGPT is not a student saviour; students still need to do the work with teachers and have knowledge of the input to compare against the output.

It is crucial to ensure that while students use AI tools they are also developing essential skills, such as critical thinking, problem solving, and creativity, on their own. Educators and parents must guide students to use AI to enhance their learning, not replace their teachers’ efforts.

By striking the right balance we can harness the benefits of AI in education while fostering an environment in which human creativity and learning thrive.

Aaron Prince

Computer science student

Northern Caribbean University

aaron10.prince@gmail.com