Integrating AI into education creates challenges, but preventing students from accessing AI is illogical, according to Sal Khan, founder of the world-renowned free online learning platform Khan Academy.
At the international conference "Artificial Intelligence (AI) and the Future of Education" held on February 28-29 in Hanoi, Sal Khan reviewed several American articles expressing concerns that AI could threaten human life and destroy education by encouraging students to cheat more, causing them to lose motivation to learn because everything is done for them. Khan opposed this view and argued that the fear of AI could lead to a regression in education.
"Just like the Internet and Google, it would be absurd to prevent students from accessing AI," Khan said.
Khan Academy is currently one of the world's largest free online learning platforms, with 150 million users in 190 countries and territories. Its founder, Sal Khan, was named one of Time magazine's top 100 most influential people in 2012.
Sal Khan speaks online at the "Artificial Intelligence (AI) and the Future of Education" conference on February 28. Photo: Thanh Hang
According to Khan, at the secondary school level, AI could become a personal tutor for each student.
Citing the results of Bloom's taxonomy (6 levels of thinking), Khan stated that learning efficiency would increase by 30% if students received private tutoring. However, the problem is that the cost of one-on-one tutoring is expensive, and not all families can afford it. He believes that AI could solve this problem.
Based on the ChatGPT platform, Khan is experimenting with an AI tutoring model. Instead of directly answering and solving students' homework problems, the tool provides suggestions and relevant knowledge, helping students find solutions. Additionally, teachers and parents are empowered to monitor the content of the interaction between students and the AI, ensuring it is used for educational purposes only.
"I think this is a way for AI to both support learning and not demotivate students," Khan said, adding that he would expand the AI tutoring model if the trial results are positive.
Concurring, Associate Professor Dr. Le Chi Ngoc, lecturer in the Department of Mathematics and Informatics, Hanoi University of Science and Technology, said that he has received many concerns about the rapid development of AI as well as the risks if students use this tool.
Mr. Ngoc sees this as a global trend. Preventing students from using AI puts them at a disadvantage in adapting to the times, lacking essential skills such as information retrieval and problem-solving when they enter the workforce.
"What needs to be done is to guide students in using AI effectively," Mr. Ngoc said.
At Hanoi University of Science and Technology, Mr. Ngoc allows students to refer to ChatGPT's answers when writing essays, projects, and even oral exams. He believes that the process of students receiving questions from lecturers, then translating those requirements into commands for the AI, and finally selecting content from the tool's response, also requires critical thinking, synthesis skills, and information analysis skills that students need to possess.
While acknowledging the potential of AI, Associate Professor Dr. Le Minh Ha, Executive Director of the Institute for Advanced Studies in Mathematics, also cautioned users to be careful with AI, as this tool is still in the process of being perfected and developed.
For example, with some sensitive content, ChatGPT might refuse to answer directly. But if the user cleverly frames the situation and changes the way they ask, the tool can still provide an answer. Therefore, Mr. Ha acknowledges that there are still risks in allowing learners to access AI, requiring schools and families to provide support, guidance, and supervision.
In an overall assessment, Deputy Minister of Education and Training Nguyen Van Phuc acknowledged that AI offers significant opportunities for educational innovation, creating an effective learning environment, such as personalizing learning to maximize each student's potential; supporting teachers in designing lesson plans; and encouraging critical thinking and problem-solving. From an indirect perspective, AI helps analyze learning data, industry trends, and recruitment needs, providing useful information for learners and administrators.
"Education aimed at developing human intellectual capacity will from now on always be closely linked to and integrated with AI capabilities. This is the core of AI's role in future education," Mr. Phuc said.
Thanh Hang
Source link
