By Dr. Gamini Padmaperuma

Introduction

In my previous article published in Sunday Observer of 3^rd November, 2024 entitled Digital Transformation: Avoid paving the cow path”, we discussed about the general benefits of the Digital Transformation to the economy as a whole. One of the very important sectors of this overall digital transformation effort is the Digital Transformation in Education. Digital transformation in education uses the technology to improve teaching and learning. Artificial Intelligence (AI) is a key part of this transformation. This article attempts to discuss the benefits, challenges and the way forward on the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in the digital transformation in education. While AI can revolutionize learning by making it more accessible and tailored, concerns about misuse and ethical implications do remain. The question remains: Is AI a cheater that undermines learning or a tutor that enhances it? Let us examine the circumstances that the use of AI in education exemplifies the role of cheater and tutor and how best we could balance these two roles for the best advantage of the learners.

AI as a Tutor: Transforming Education Positively

AI’s role as a tutor is demonstrated through its ability to provide personalize education in more efficient and student-centered manner. The AI-based tools can monitor the student’s rate of progress and tailor the learning experience to best suit the student’s ability and level of competence through Intelligent Tutoring Systems, etc. Such learning systems are highly adaptive and can adjust content delivered in real-time to suit the individual student’s demonstrated ability and to keep the students engaged and motivated.

Further, AI can bridge the student’s knowledge gaps by offering scalable learning opportunities. Students who do not have access to quality teachers or appropriate resources can make use of the AI tools to avail 24/7 learning assistance from anywhere. AI chatbots can serve as virtual tutors which on demand will answer questions and provide explanations. This democratization of education allows students from underserved areas to benefit from personalized support which otherwise is impossible or very expensive to receive.

AI can also alleviate teachers’ administrative burdens. AI-powered grading systems streamline evaluation processes, lesson planning, etc., enabling educators to focus on teaching rather than spending time on routine and laborious tasks. Further, the analytics from the AI tools can help teachers identify trends in student performance. This makes it easier for teachers to address learning gaps proactively and design suitable learning materials.

AI as a Cheater: Ethical Concerns and Academic Dishonesty

While AI holds immense potential, its misuse raises serious concerns. The rise of AI-powered tools with the capability of generating essays and predicting answers, has made it easier for students to plagiarize and submit work they did not create. Platforms like ChatGPT, Gemini, etc. can generate essays and assignments with simple prompts by the user, and even provide answers to exam questions, allowing students to bypass the real learning process altogether.

The consequences of the above misuses are very serious. The learning outcomes such as ability to apply gained knowledge, ability to summarize, analyze, evaluate, etc., critical thinking, problem-solving skills, and ability to synthesize acquired knowledge and create new work – core competencies that education seeks to develop among learners – are undermined by the overreliance on AI. When students use AI to complete their assignments without having to go through the cognitive processes needed to complete them as learners, it disrupts the long-term learning outcomes that learners need to achieve in the progression of their studies and devalues the integrity of education.

Moreover, distinguishing between genuine student work and AI-generated content is challenging. Even with plagiarism detection tools, AI outputs can often pass as original work, creating a dilemma for educators. This increases the need for stricter academic integrity policies and a re-evaluation of traditional assessment methods.

Striking a Balance in AI’s Role in Education

Considering the benefits and risks in using AI in education, it is not possible to label the use of AI, simply, as a Cheater or Tutor. To determine whether AI is a cheater or tutor, it is essential to strike a balance between harnessing its benefits and addressing its risks.

Educational institutions must focus on fostering a culture of ethical AI use by setting clear guidelines and expectations. Students should be taught how to use AI tools as supplements to learning rather than shortcuts.

Educators can use the AI’s capabilities to develop students as the ones who can think critically rather than being rote learners, who are taught to learn by memorizing the information by mere repetition. The use of AI as a tutor needs a great deal of effort and dedication by the educators. Educators can leverage AI’s capabilities to create assessments that prioritize understanding and critical thinking over rote memorization. For instance, oral presentations, project-based learning, and open-ended assignments are less susceptible to AI misuse and encourage genuine student engagement.

Furthermore, AI literacy should become part of the curriculum. Teaching students about AI’s capabilities, limitations, and ethical considerations can empower them to use these tools responsibly. When used effectively, AI can complement human instruction, fostering a collaborative and innovative learning environment. AI’s ability to serve as a tutor anytime, anywhere solves the problem of one to one tutor support for those who are in need but cannot afford. This could be used to alleviate the issues that comes from the understaffing of schools in certain geographical locations and perhaps need for private tuition.

Way Forward

AI in education is neither inherently a cheater nor a tutor; it is a tool whose impact depends on how it is used. While it holds the potential to revolutionize learning by making education more personalized and accessible, its misuse poses ethical and academic challenges. Striking a balance requires educators, policymakers, and students to collaborate in developing guidelines that promote ethical and responsible AI use. If harnessed correctly, AI can serve as a powerful tutor, enhancing education and preparing students for a technologically advanced future.

(Dr. Gamini Padmaperuma is a Chartered Professional Engineer, Honorary Fellow Member of the IESL, former Director, Academic Affairs at Saegis Campus and Senior Lecturer at OUSL. He holds a PhD in Instructional Design for Computer-Based Learning from the University of Canterbury, New Zealand and can be contacted at gamini_pad@hotmail.com)