Wednesday, March 13, 2024

WEATHERING THE TECHNOLOGICAL STORM: THE IMPACT OF INTERNET AND AI ON EDUCATION

Education 2047 #Blog 19 (13 MAR 2024)


The academic community continues to wrestle with the profound impact of the internet on their traditional practices. Teachers often feel that their responsibilities are unfulfilled unless they physically stand before their students, deliver content, and gauge its memorization. There's a prevailing sense of disappointment among educators regarding what they perceive as a lack of seriousness among modern learners. However, it's increasingly recognized that students have evolved in their learning styles and preferences, while educators have been slower to adapt to these changes, leading to a disconnect between teaching methodologies and student expectations.

Education, historically prescriptive and restrictive, has struggled with the disruptive impact of modern communication technologies. The rise of information technology has displaced teachers as mere conveyors of knowledge, a role traditionally held by Adhyapak (one who provides information) and Upadhyay (one who provides knowledge) in the Indian Education System. This shift has left educators feeling unsettled, as their digital learners no longer engage with them as before. Attempts to restrict the use of Google/ ChatGPT in classrooms, only enforced during exams, reflect their frustration. 

Now, the emergence of AI compounds their concerns, as it threatens to claim roles in higher cognitive skill development, such as applying and analyzing knowledge. This raises existential questions about the future of teaching, with machines potentially assuming roles once held by Acharyas (those who impart skills) and Pundits (those facilitating deep insights into a subject), leaving only observers and mentors. Despite apprehension, teachers reluctantly acknowledge the internet's potential as a teaching tool, albeit undervaluing its capacity to empower students. 

AI is begrudgingly accepted as another instructional tool, with the belief that teachers will still be indispensable in the classroom. However, the internet has already displaced teachers as mere transmitters of information, relegating them to facilitators of understanding. AI's advancement into higher cognitive skills further exacerbates concerns, particularly regarding underserved students in secondary education. Thus, a disruption in teaching and learning is inevitable and irrecusable now- impacting both teachers and academic institutions.

Poised to alter the traditional roles of teachers as AI is, tasks like lecturing and basic knowledge assessment may diminish as AI automates these processes efficiently. Instead, teachers will pivot towards personalised learning, mentorship, and emotional support, utilising AI to cater to individual student needs. This shift may give rise to new roles such as AI curriculum designers and data analysts, demanding educators' adaptation to technological advancements. However, the intrinsic qualities of human creativity, empathy, and critical thinking may remain indispensable, serving as a complement to AI's capabilities.

In the same breath, AI is expected to significantly transform the administrative functions of colleges and universities. Traditional tasks such as admissions processing and student record management may dwindle as AI streamlines these processes. AI-powered virtual assistants could replace certain administrative roles, offering student support services with greater efficiency. New roles may also include AI integration specialists, data scientists for educational analytics, developers of AI-powered student support systems, developers of AI-driven research platforms, AI ethicists, AI policy analysts,  etc. Traditional printed textbooks are also getting less prominent, replaced by digital platforms offering dynamic and customizable learning resources opening up avenues for content curators, AI-driven content creators, and developers of interactive e-learning materials.

AI will also change the role of examinations by automating assessment processes, providing personalized feedback, and detecting academic integrity violations. Traditional roles like exam proctors and graders may be replaced by AI-driven proctoring and grading systems. New roles may include AI-based exam designers, developers of secure exam delivery platforms, and experts in AI-driven test analytics. Automating tasks like grading and tailoring learning experiences to individual students looks certain with AI and this may reduce the reliance on traditional lecture-style teaching, favoring more interactive and adaptive learning. New roles such as AI curriculum designers, virtual experience creators, and specialists in optimizing AI systems are expected to emerge within educational institutions. Despite AI's potential, challenges remain in areas requiring complex human interactions, like counseling and mentorship, presenting an opportunity for teachers to adapt and remain relevant.

The relentless march of technological progress continues, constantly reshaping the landscape of education through the influence of communication technologies. Emerging innovations like virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) are positioned to complement artificial intelligence (AI) by offering immersive and interactive learning experiences that surpass the capabilities of AI alone, ensuring a more comprehensive educational paradigm in the future. With the advancement of quantum technologies, the boundaries between virtual and physical realities are expected to blur even further. 

Additionally, brain-computer interface (BCI) technology, in tandem with AI, holds the promise of redefining human capabilities through functions such as controlling devices through thoughts and improving thought-to-text conversion processes. To take on such an evolving technolological scenario and with machines become increasingly intelligent (and assume more human-like roles) alongside, the very nature and purpose of learning may undergo profound transformations. As we weather the technological storm of internet and AI, it becomes absolutely necessary to reconsider the benchmarks (and policies) of education, expected to source the architects of an Atmanirbhar Bharat in its Amrit Kaal.

 

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Author is Pro Chancellor, JIS University- Kolkata (Ex-Adviser, AICTE/ MOE/ GOI & Ex-Scientist TIFAC/ DST/ GOI)
 
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