Lokmat News Network
By Mehboob Inamdar
Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar: The growing adoption of Artificial Intelligence (AI) across various sectors has sparked a heated debate. While AI opens up a world of opportunities, it also brings forth significant challenges that demand careful consideration.
AI has the ability to generate images, audio, videos, and various other forms of content based on user instructions. It supports tasks like lesson planning, homework assistance, essay writing, translation, and even functioning as a virtual assistant. However, its use in education also raises concerns, particularly around copyright issues and privacy.
This newspaper talked with local academicians and experts about opportunities and challenges in the education field. They feel that technology can bring changes but cannot replace humans who have developed it through their creativity.
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Ethical concerns, factual accuracy & learner safety pose significant challenges.
Ravinder Rana (Principal, Podar International School-CBSE) said Science is a good servant but a bad master" - a phrWinchesterase that aptly describes the dual nature of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in the educational field.
"On the one hand, AI has revolutionized learning experiences, making education more engaging, interactive, and personalized. It has empowered learners of all ages, providing instant access to a vast array of content. However, there's a flip side. The lack of infrastructure, skills, and technology hardware in many institutions hinders the effective utilisation of AI. Moreover, ethical concerns, factual accuracy, and learner safety pose significant challenges," he asserted.
Rana said that as we harness the potential of AI in education, it's crucial to address these concerns and strike a balance between the benefits and drawbacks of this powerful technology.
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The teaching community need not be worried about robot teachers
Dr Afsar Khan (Founder and Director, Winchester English International School) said that AI is a field of study that focuses on developing machines that can learn reason and act in ways that will normally require human intelligence.
"The AI analyses data, identifies patterns and makes decisions. There is a belief that the robots made as teachers would replace teachers from the field of education. India’s first AI teacher robot named the Iris was developed in Kerala recently. To represent a teacher, it has been put in the class wearing a sree, which our Indian lady teachers wear in the school. It understands three languages, moves its hands, and head and turns on four wheels, shakes hands with students and tells stories to children, but it is not a replacement for teachers," he said.
Dr Khan said that the machine has limitations like it does not understand emotions or care and in the absence of the internet, it becomes a statue. He said that the teaching community need not be worried about the new technology.
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Balance AI & human touch in education
Dr Sharda Gupta (Principal, NVS) said that AI has transformed education in unimaginable ways and analyzes data in seconds, personalizes learning, and provides instant feedback.
"Imagine a student struggling with mathematics; AI can identify their weak areas and suggest tailored exercises at the click of a button. But here’s the catch-can a machine truly teach, or does it merely deliver content? The AI lacks the heart of teaching: the emotional connection. A teacher doesn’t just explain concepts; they inspire curiosity, notice the anxiety in a student’s face before an examination, and celebrate their smallest victories," she said.
Dr Gupta said that AI may provide answers, but it doesn’t share in a student’s joy when they finally grasp a tough concept or comfort them when they fail.
"A chatbot might tell you where the library is, but it won’t ask, “How are you feeling today?” That’s where the teacher’s role becomes irreplaceable.
In conclusion, AI is a powerful tool, but it is not a replacement for teachers. Let’s embrace this balance and prepare our children for a world where innovation and humanity go hand in hand," she added.