Generative AI & Impact on Student Outcomes
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Is generative AI transforming classrooms and improving outcomes?
Generative AI offers opportunities and challenges for teachers, reshaping teaching through innovation, sparking vital questions about its integration into the classroom.
In this research paper, The Generative AI Landscape in Education: Mapping the Terrain of Opportunities, Challenges, and Student Perception (Ahmed et al., 2024), evaluates AI and their effect on academic outcomes.
Generative artificial intelligence (GAI) tools like ChatGPT are making waves across the world as we navigate its use.
Unless you have been hiding under a rock, you would have seen ChatGPT spreading across education too.
AI tools actually save teachers time by automating tasks, tailoring information for students, and create engaging materials.
However, these tools raise critical questions about academic honesty, data privacy, and how they impact students’ critical thinking skills.
In this research, outcomes needs to be defined. As a teacher, one would default immediately to ‘exam scores’ as an obvious interpretation. In this document, AI literacy is used to define learning outcomes, including interdisciplinary learning, maker learning, and assessment through in class, hands-on activities.
Tutoring and instant feedback is also mentioned when tailoring teaching to meet individual student needs.
Of course, improving teaching and learning outcomes is also referenced, but this paper is more speculative rather than evaluative on educational outcomes.
Disappointing, however, it does provide an extensive literature review.
Reducing workload, not replacing teachers
Generative AI can automate marking and feedback, generate customised lesson plans, and provide instant feedback to students.
Whether or not any tool create engaging classroom activities is yet to be seen, but personalised learning is possible, and can make curriculum delivery more accessible (see this example of education in Nigeria) .
Challenges, ethics and security
AI does come with its challenges, ethical concerns, data security issues, and risks to student independence and critical thinking. I still believe it’s too early to tell, and I’m confident there will be emerging research on the risks as well as the positive outcomes. We know it has the potential to revolutionise classrooms by saving teachers and students time, but one fear I continue to have, is how do we survive without it? Only today, Chat GPT servers went off-line.
The teacher at the heart of teaching
Teachers should continue to focus on meaningful interactions with students while delegating repetitive tasks to AI. However, unchecked use could undermine pedagogical values, encouraging plagiarism and over-reliance on automated tools – perfect for admin, reports or lesson planning. Tools like ChatGPT can offer tailored materials or act as digital tutors, supporting students with SEND and enhancing classroom inclusivity. Blending these technologies with face-to-face methods ensures a balance that fosters critical thinking and genuine learning.
Reflection questions
- How can teachers use GAI to save time without losing teaching quality?
- How might GAI tools be adapted for SEND students?
- How do teachers maintain academic honesty in an AI-supported classroom?
- What steps can schools take to address data privacy concerns?
- How can GAI complement, rather than replace, face-to-face teaching?
- What new training might teachers need to maximise AI’s benefits?
- How can AI be used creatively in non-core subjects?
- How can teachers balance GAI with traditional methods to build critical thinking?
- Are there ways to assess AI-generated content ethically?
- What classroom policies could ensure responsible AI use?
The research concludes:
While this study provides a comprehensive overview of the current state of generative AI in education, there are still some areas that require additional exploration. Future research should explore the long-term effects of integrating generative AI technologies on student learning outcomes…
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