AI has significantly influenced Education, as any other aspect of society and economy. Having this in mind, Alexandra Zbuchea, Florina Pinzaru, and Cristian Vidu challenged their colleagues from the National University of Political Studies and Public Administration to research the early impact of AI on various facets of education and training. The results have been published by Tritonic Books as an e-book: Changing the game. AI in Education (ISBN 978-606-749-727-4).
Here is the introduction to the volume, written by the three editors.
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The entire e-book is available here.
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Foreword: AI Opening Up New Perspectives for Education
Authors: Alexandra Zbuchea, Florina Pinzaru, and Cristian Vidu (Eds.)
Artificial intelligence (AI) has probably been the buzzword for 2023. Most media and business publications – at least – concentrated on the relevance and impact of AI on society, businesses, and everyday lives. In many cases, the impact of AI on education has been stressed as being highly significant and with long-term effects. Therefore, it is essential to understand all these aspects to design AI technologies properly and use them effectively to benefit all educational stakeholders. This is the main aim of this volume we propose to you.
We would have liked to say that our volume is a definitive answer to all your questions on how AI is reshaping education – unfortunately, it is not the case. Our discussions should be considered mostly an invitation to an open debate on what is happening now in education, how educators are prepared for the new AI challenges, and possible scenarios in the future. Schools worldwide have already tried to ban the usage of ChatGPT and similar AIs, fearing plagiarism and all kinds of cheating concerns. However, the reality is that students already use AI widely, and, in some cases, we dare to say wisely. We have experienced in our university the case of students becoming quickly able to solve statistics problems by addressing the proper prompts to ChatGPT: is it plagiarism, or should it be considered a creative form of solving something unknown? In any case, these students proved to be efficient and, thus, they might be regarded as closer to future productive employees – the desiderate of any enterprise. This situation reminds us of those who lived in the 90s, when professors demanded students to write projects by hand, fearing cheating if using Microsoft Word or something similar. Does it sound familiar?
We face many challenges in addressing the future of education in the AI era. While AI is conquering our present, people still try to define it. Is AI an electronic “me”? Is it an artificial form of life, as in SF movies? The first challenge for academia now seems to be understanding the concept we discuss: what is AI? An entire chapter of this volume is dedicated to this fundamental question. Still, we asked AI to define itself to have a point of departure in our discovery journey. Here are the answers we received from the most popular platforms, noting that when interrogated, AI considers itself already as something used widely (Perplexity.ai, Scite.ai), within ethical considerations in development, but without specifying which ones (ChatGPT):
ChatGPT:
Artificial Intelligence (AI) is the field focused on creating computer systems capable of performing tasks that typically require human intelligence. Two main types exist: Narrow AI, designed for specific functions like virtual assistants and image recognition, and General AI, an aspirational goal seeking human-like adaptability across diverse tasks. Machine Learning (ML), a subset of AI, involves algorithms enabling systems to improve performance without explicit programming, while Natural Language Processing (NLP) facilitates human-computer communication. Computer Vision, another AI branch, interprets visual data for applications such as image recognition and autonomous vehicles. AI’s diverse applications span industries like healthcare, finance, and education. Ongoing research aims to enhance AI capabilities, while ethical considerations regarding its societal impact remain integral to its development.
Perplexity.ai:
Artificial intelligence (AI) refers to the intelligence of machines or software, as opposed to the intelligence of humans or animals. It is a field of study in computer science that develops and studies intelligent machines. AI technology is widely used throughout industry, government, and science. AI is the simulation of human intelligence processes by machines, especially computer systems. Specific applications of AI include expert systems, natural language processing, speech recognition, and machine vision. AI encompasses sub-fields of machine learning and deep learning, which are frequently mentioned in conjunction with artificial intelligence. These disciplines are comprised of AI algorithms which seek to create expert systems which make decisions, solve problems, and recognize patterns. Despite continuing advances in computer processing speed and memory capacity, there are as yet no programs that can match full human flexibility over wider domains or in tasks (Copeland, 2023; Coursera, 2023; IBM; Laskowski, & Tucci, 2023; Wikipedia).
Scite.ai:
The definition of artificial intelligence (AI) encompasses the ability of machines to think, reason, comprehend, and understand human intellect, as well as to exhibit intelligent behavior in perceiving, learning, communicating, and acting in complex environments. This definition aligns with the increasing application of AI in various domains, such as healthcare, marketing, and education, reflecting its potential to bring about substantial changes in strategies and behaviors. Moreover, the ethical considerations surrounding AI have led to the emergence of principles and guidelines for ethical AI from private companies, research institutions, and public sector organizations. As AI becomes increasingly integrated into daily life, it offers numerous benefits for society, emphasizing its rapid pace of adoption and its potential to positively impact various sectors.
The last platform, the “academic” among the three used above, details the definition of AI as follows:
Artificial intelligence (AI) is a rapidly evolving field with broad implications across various domains, including computer science, healthcare, education, and law. The definition of AI has been a subject of extensive debate and analysis. Wang (2019) emphasizes the importance of a clear and comprehensive definition, outlining four criteria for a good working definition of AI. This includes being similar to common usage, drawing a sharp boundary, leading to fruitful research, and being as simple as possible. Furthermore, Han (2023) highlights the emphasis on a machine’s ability to think and reason in the present definition of AI, enabling computers to comprehend and understand human intellect. Additionally, Liu et al. (2021) provide insights into the nature of AI, focusing on intelligent behavior in artifacts and the development of machines that can perceive, reason, learn, communicate, and act in complex environments.
The impact of AI is evident in various sectors. Davenport and Kalakota (2019) discuss the increasing application of AI in healthcare due to the rising complexity of data in the field. Similarly, Davenport et al. (2019) highlight the potential for substantial changes in marketing strategies and customer behaviors through AI. Moreover, Jobin and Ienca (2019) shed light on the ethical considerations surrounding AI, with the emergence of principles and guidelines for ethical AI from private companies, research institutions, and public sector organizations.
The diverse applications of AI also extend to education, as evidenced by (Nguyen et al., 2022), who discuss the fundamental meanings of AI in education, including developing competence in understanding and processing AI, applying AI to effective teaching and learning, and AI expert training. Furthermore, the societal integration of AI is addressed by (Buiten, 2019), who emphasizes the rapid pace at which AI is becoming part of daily life, offering numerous benefits for society.
In conclusion, the definition and implications of AI are multifaceted, encompassing technological, ethical, and societal dimensions. As AI continues to advance, it is essential to consider its definition, ethical guidelines, and diverse applications across various domains.
Simply said, AI seems inevitable, complicated, broad, already here, and soon capable of almost everything humans do – except empathy. AI is necessary in a competitive world and is related to the intellect; it is intrinsically correlated to education – an education that is already brutally reshaped by the rise of the digital natives and their new learning habits. As seen from the bans of ChatGPT in many schools, educators are not ready to face the arrival of AI, which proposes a broad development of education. In this respect, we also asked AI to discuss the impact of AI on education. Here are the answers of the three platforms:
ChatGPT
Artificial Intelligence (AI) has a significant impact on education, transforming various aspects of the learning process, administration, and accessibility. Here are some key ways AI influences education:
- Personalized Learning: AI enables the customization of learning experiences based on individual student needs and abilities. Adaptive learning platforms use algorithms to tailor educational content, pacing, and assessments, promoting more effective and personalized learning paths.
- Intelligent Tutoring Systems: AI-driven tutoring systems provide students with personalized feedback, assistance, and additional resources. These systems can adapt to individual learning styles and progress, offering targeted support in real time.
- Automated Grading and Assessment: AI can automate the grading of assignments, quizzes, and exams, saving time for educators. It allows for faster feedback to students, enabling them to identify and address their weaknesses promptly.
- Data Analytics and Predictive Modeling: AI tools analyze vast amounts of educational data to identify patterns and trends. This data-driven approach helps institutions make informed decisions, predict student performance, and implement strategies for improvement.
- Virtual Classrooms and Remote Learning: AI facilitates virtual classrooms, online courses, and remote learning by providing interactive and engaging content. Chatbots and virtual assistants can enhance the online learning experience by answering student queries and providing guidance.
- Language Translation and Accessibility: AI-powered translation tools break down language barriers, making educational content accessible to a global audience. This is particularly beneficial for students who speak different languages or have diverse linguistic backgrounds.
- Educational Content Creation: AI can assist in creating educational content, including textbooks, interactive modules, and multimedia materials. Content generation tools help educators develop resources that align with the latest educational standards and incorporate dynamic teaching methods.
- Support for Special Needs Education: AI applications, such as speech-to-text and text-to-speech technologies, assist students with special needs. These tools help create an inclusive learning environment by accommodating different learning styles and abilities.
- Identifying Learning Gaps: AI tools can identify gaps in students’ understanding or areas where additional support is needed. This information allows educators to intervene early and provide targeted assistance, reducing the risk of students falling behind.
While AI in education offers numerous benefits, it also raises ethical considerations, including data privacy, bias in algorithms, and the potential for widening educational inequalities. As AI continues to evolve, it is essential to address these challenges responsibly and ensure that technology enhances, rather than hinders, the overall learning experience.
Perplexity.ai
Artificial intelligence (AI) has the potential to transform education in many ways. One of the most significant impacts of AI in education is its ability to personalize learning according to each student’s individual needs. AI enhances teaching strategies by giving pupils a distinctive educational opportunity. Through AI interactions, students can access materials outside of the classroom and get real-time feedback, opening up new opportunities for learning and development. AI can also reduce the burden on teachers and streamline administrative tasks, such as grading and lesson planning. However, there are also concerns about the ethical considerations that come with AI-powered education, such as privacy and bias. Additionally, there is a risk that students and teachers may become overly reliant on AI-driven technology, which could stifle learning and critical thinking. Overall, AI has the potential to revolutionize education and address long-standing challenges in the field, but it is important to balance the benefits with the potential risks and challenges (Baily, 2023; Chen, 2023; Keymakr, 2023; RegenApps, 2023; Schiller International University, 2023).
Scite.ai
The impact of Artificial Intelligence (AI) on education is multifaceted and transformative. AI technologies, such as machine learning and natural language processing, are being increasingly integrated into educational settings to enhance the learning experience (Hinojo-Lucena et al., 2019). The use of AI in education has the potential to revolutionize traditional teaching methods by enabling personalized and autonomous learning modes (Wang et al., 2023). Moreover, AI can contribute to improving learning outcomes for students, increasing access, retention, and decreasing the cost of education (Hutson et al., 2022). It also facilitates the automation of administrative tasks, personalized education, and intelligent use of data to support students (Hinojo-Lucena et al., 2019). However, the integration of AI in education presents challenges and future directions, particularly in terms of research, policy-making, and industry practices (Luan et al., 2020). While AI offers promising opportunities, its impact on learner-instructor interactions and the cultural norms in educational settings remains an area of ongoing exploration (Seo et al., 2021). Additionally, the use of AI in educational assessment has adapted to technological advancements, leading to the generation of feedback through AI systems (Bulut & Wongvorachan, 2022). Overall, the integration of AI in education represents a significant paradigm shift, offering both opportunities and challenges for the future of learning and teaching.
How accurately does AI automatically uncover these answers and perspectives in the academic literature it can access? We challenge you to read this volume to judge for yourselves. The discussion of risks should be detailed but without trying to impose absurd barriers to AI adoption per se. We know from history that people adopt something despite warnings when the benefits are visible and attractive. AI is, without doubt, very attractive: it makes you solve problems faster, gives easier and quicker solutions to various challenges, increases productivity, and allows, with proper prompts, regular individuals to propose credible solutions for issues reserved until now to creative minds. Therefore, its wide adoption is only a question of time.
As we embark on a journey to discover how education is affected by the (re-)discovery of AI tools, you are invited to join the authors in exploring the various facets of Artificial Intelligence and, given our Romanian background, how they apply the debates on AI in education to both the Romanian pre-university and university systems as well as business and management training. The authors face multiple challenges ahead, from properly defining and aligning the term, ensuring that the technology will help the students instead of hindering their learning experience, and explaining the new skills that will (or maybe they won’t) be essential in an AI-driven economy, the legal framework surrounding this ‘new‘ concept that suddenly appears to be everywhere around us as well as the extraordinary potential for new opportunities in increased efficiency, personalized learning paths, accessibility, and sustainability. These topics, and many more, are analyzed and investigated in detail in this volume.
AI is not new. It has been around for a long time, but something has changed over the past few years, culminating in the release of ChatGPT and generative AI: scale and availability. From a tool used by a select few people with high domain-specific knowledge, it is now available to anyone. This opens up immense opportunities for businesses and responsibilities for educators and scholars to ensure that the technology is not misused and that we provide our students with the critical thinking tools required to properly use this entirely new (for some of them) technology. Such challenges are universal. Hence, we decided to discuss them in English for a broader coverage of the topics. Despite legal and cultural differences between educational systems, we face the same new things as the rest of the world. We will see if some systems are more equipped to transform these challenges into benefits sooner.
Cătălin Vrabie starts the volume with an introduction to what AI is and its origins. Setting the tone and providing context allows us to lean on past experiences as a familiar reference when evaluating the current AI boom. Past evolutions of AI have had some limited societal implications. However, the recent disruptive evolution promises a significant upheaval of our work methodologies, and the question emerges: how can this be ethically, legally, and reliably integrated into the educational process? Ana-Maria Costea and Ioana Roxana Melenciuc-Ioan analyze this through the lens of a game-theoretical approach, considering both zero-sum and win-win scenarios. At the same time, Mădălina Cocoșatu looks at the regulatory framework, focusing mainly on the new EU AI Act and its impact on education.
Andreea Mitan contributes valuable insights into the Romanian higher-education landscape. Like the other authors, she emphasizes the transformative impact of AI, notably ChatGPT, on education since its release, stressing the profound influence of AI tools in academia and research and within the context of the 4th Industrial Revolution. She also highlights concerns about diminishing educator roles and academic dishonesty. Andreea Mitan advocates for a human-centric perspective and addresses systemic challenges in integrating AI into Romanian tertiary education, emphasizing collaborative efforts among scholars for a smooth transition. Also, Roxana Marcu and Claudia Oprescu focus on Romania’s specific case, considering AI’s transformative potential in secondary education. They discuss the teacher’s challenges in navigating digital tools, emphasizing the lack of a framework to explore this new learning universe and the need for a unified approach among teachers with varying levels of openness to change, to support them in integrating the ever-evolving AI tools in education.
A recurring theme throughout recent years has been replacing human labor with AI tools, thereby rendering many professions obsolete. Such an evolution has high potential consequences, and one alternative proposed extensively is augmenting human knowledge with extensive AI capabilities. However, this is not an easy task. The authors in our volume are discussing both the new skills that are emerging in this context, such as prompt engineering, as discussed by Raluca Ciochină, as well as the perspective taken by Mădălina-Elena Stratone, Victor Ciuciuc, and Laura Oprea who are looking at the the requirement for maintaining domain-specific knowledge to keep the current AI tools on the path and prevent workers from being led astray by AI hallucinations (the technical term for AI generating false or misleading information). Victor Ciuciuc and Mădălina-Elena Stratone, as well as Adina Săniuță and Valentin Stoica also discuss practices in adequately training the employees to face the new challenges raised by various AI-empowered technologies. The analysis of business training is complemented by Camelia Crișan and Mihaela Boicu’s investigation of using LLM models in Romanian organizations. Their study shows the extensive use of ChatGPT in businesses, as well as that professionals rather believe that no additional training and skills would be necessary for using this specific tool. Nevertheless, the research shows that prior education and experience in various professional domains are required to use AI effectively and to discern and use accurate information provided. Therefore, businesses should be aware of the importance of the characteristics and experience of the workforce using AI tools, and training might be an element to optimize these processes and make the human factor work correctly and effectively with them.
The last chapter, of Monica Bira and Alexandra Zbuchea, discusses another aspect of using AI for educational purposes. Considering the broader landscape of new technologies, the authors map the Romanian museums’ use of Extended Reality (XR) and Artificial Intelligence (AI) to enhance the educational dimension of museum visits. These technologies help museums be interactive partners for those seeking a learning experience. Integrating new technologies, such as XR and AI, into museum activities has provided numerous benefits, including enhancing the museum experience and education in museums and online. Lastly, ethical concerns must be addressed when adopting new technology into museum operations, including using AI-generated materials in museums and ensuring multiple voices when reusing data. As in the case of education or museums, AI has the potential to create robust and adaptive immersive learning experiences in other fields, which await to be investigated in the future.
In a nutshell, the volume starts discussions on skills, new techniques, regulations, policies, and benefits of using AI in various forms of education, from pre-university schools to academia and continuous training, from formal education to informal, as in the case of museums’ experiences. A reflection on what we already know and what to expect, the following pages are an invitation to everyone interested in education – educators, parents, managers, and decision-makers. There is no argument: AI is here to stay. As with any new technology, we are just beginning to discover its many uses and, in this process, some of the abuses. It is up to us to see how we can turn it into a driving force for good and ensure that we will use it to improve education.
References
Selected by Perplexity.ai
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Chen, C. (2023, March, 9). AI Will Transform Teaching and Learning. Let’s Get it Right. Retrieved from https://hai.stanford.edu/news/ai-will-transform-teaching-and-learning-lets-get-it-right
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