Artificial Intelligence (AI) is defined by machines exhibiting various facets of human intelligence, encompassing abilities such as perception, learning, reasoning, problem-solving, language interaction, and creative output. Over the last decade, AI has become integrated into the education sector, aiding in tasks such as streamlining students’ performance data in schools. For instance, in Uttar Pradesh, the Nipun Assessment Test (NAT) employs AI to assess the skills of 1.6 crore students from grades 1 to 8. AI is also utilized for language translation and the provision of personalized learning tools to students.
In recent times, a subset of AI known as generative AI has gained prominence. Generative AI employs deep learning to analyze existing datasets and generate new outputs. Unlike its predecessors, generative AI possesses reasoning capabilities. Examples such as ChatGPT, which produces human-like responses to text prompts, and DALL-E, capable of creating images and artworks from text prompts, illustrate the capabilities of generative AI.
The emergence of generative AI has sparked curiosity and interest. While it is still in its early stages, and a conclusive verdict is yet to be reached, its potential has opened up numerous possibilities. This article explores some of these possibilities and underscores how generative AI can be effectively integrated into the education sector.
Generative AI’s Role in Education
Generative AI holds the potential to address various challenges in a country like India, characterized by significant cultural and social diversity, as well as inequality barriers. It can offer benefits to different stakeholders within the education system, including students, teachers, and parents.
Recognizing the importance of cultivating AI skills in children, CBSE has introduced AI as a skill module in classes 6–8 and as a skill subject in classes 9–12. Numerous organizations are also developing virtual assistants for students, teachers, and parents to facilitate improved learning and teaching experiences. Such initiatives are now emerging across a wide range of applications.
Here are some potential ways in which generative AI can be applied:
- Virtual assistants powered by generative AI can assist parents in identifying activities to enhance their child’s reading and comprehension skills. For instance, parents can share AI-generated stories with their children or encourage them to read aloud. This proves especially valuable for parents who may not be literate but wish to actively participate in their child’s education.
- Generative AI can aid teachers in efficiently adhering to prescribed teaching guidelines without spending extensive time reviewing numerous educational materials. A virtual assistant built on generative AI can support teachers in planning distinctive and engaging classroom activities by consulting carefully selected documents and expert insights, recommending methods suitable for a classroom setting.
- This technology has the ability to adjust to the individual needs of a child. With the guidance of a caring adult, whether it be a teacher, parent, or community member, it can prove highly beneficial in early childhood education. This is particularly relevant as learning paces and approaches differ from one child to another during this developmental stage. Generative AI can play a valuable role in establishing fundamental literacy and numeracy skills and imparting basic language abilities.
- Generative AI is capable of aiding in speech-to-text, text-to-speech, and speech-to-speech translations. Moreover, it can adapt the tone and cultural context during translation. This functionality contributes to fostering inclusive education, especially for children hailing from diverse linguistic and sociocultural backgrounds.
- Generative AI can facilitate the creation of virtual labs accessible through smartphones, catering particularly to senior-grade students and those in colleges. This proves especially advantageous for students from marginalized backgrounds who may lack access to physical labs for conducting science experiments or acquiring vocational skills. AI can assist them in comprehending these skills and concepts.
- Virtual assistants can play a crucial role in addressing students’ doubts and queries, as well as aiding in the development of critical thinking, creativity, problem-solving, and communication skills. The effectiveness of these virtual assistants in skill development depends on how they are trained. Students can interact with the virtual assistant in their local language, input text through writing or scanning, or directly type into it. Similarly, a school app incorporating virtual assistants can be tailored for students, teachers, and parents to track assignments, attendance, results, and other pertinent information.
