THE SKINNY
on AI for Education
Issue 5, early January 2024
Welcome to The Skinny on AI for Education newsletter. Discover the latest insights at the intersection of AI and education from Professor Rose Luckin and the EVR Team. From personalized learning to smart classrooms, we decode AI's impact on education. We analyse the news, track developments in AI technology, watch what is happening with regulation and policy and discuss what all of it means for Education. Stay informed, navigate responsibly, and shape the future of learning with The Skinny.
Marvelling at AI's Swift Evolution
Watching the breath-taking pace of AI progress this past year, one realization stands out - the future is here. From AI art tools like DALL-E 2 generating striking imagery based on text prompts, to chatbots like ChatGPT, Bard and Google Gemini holding remarkably human-like conversations, emerging capabilities once confined to science fiction shape daily headlines at a dizzying pace.
Beyond the excitement lies profound questions. Who should govern increasingly impactful technologies permeating life and work? Whose values get embedded across machine learning models deployed at a population scale? What mechanisms can foster human flourishing amidst such rapid change? Collaborative leadership is needed on all sides to grapple with complex balances and imbalances.
Spotlighting Promising Classroom Applications
Simultaneously, we must thoughtfully and judiciously implement specific AI advances to harness their benefit for learners. For instance, initiatives providing free access to powerful computing infrastructure for researchers and technology developers can make developing education-focused AI tools more viable and equitable. Complementing such efforts, techniques adapting state-of-the-art natural language models can greatly reduce barriers to adoption, like the need for extensive data annotation.
Research illuminating best practices for AI implementation provides educators with key guardrails - from customising models on specialised learning tasks to boost performance, to directly engaging students in critical evaluation of real-world systems using current events. Such engagement builds essential skills for agency in an AI-infused world by examining both profound opportunities and risks through an ethical lens.
Considering the Complexity of AI Regulation
Alongside rapid progress, governments grapple with policy responses balancing economic competitiveness, accountability and human dignity. For example, the European Union's new AI Act creates oversight bodies governing both private and public sector systems. It mandates impact assessments for high-risk applications like healthcare algorithms. Fines over algorithms enabling prohibited practices aim to prevent unacceptable risks, though complex trade-offs underlie determining what constitutes 'unacceptable'.
Cultivating Enduring Human Capabilities
Amidst such swift change what foundations best serve students for lifelong agency? Data and AI literacy empowers self-determination; higher order thinking skills, such as metacognition differentiate AI and Human Intelligence and increase individual learning performance, traditions like philosophy nurture ethical reasoning spanning decades of volatility. If anchored in care, courage and community, schools can elevate and engage young people in leadership to shape a shared future guided by our highest common hopes - of justice, promise and human dignity for all.
Enjoy what 2024 brings your way, and keep reading The Skinny.
Further Reading: Find out more from these free resources
Free resources:
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Watch videos from other talks about AI and Education in our webinar library here
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Watch the AI Readiness webinar series for educators and educational businesses
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Listen to the EdTech Podcast, hosted by Professor Rose Luckin here
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Study our AI readiness Online Course and Primer on Generative AI here
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Read our byte-sized summary, listen to audiobook chapters, and buy the AI for School Teachers book here
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Read research about AI in education here
About The Skinny
Welcome to "The Skinny on AI for Education" newsletter, your go-to source for the latest insights, trends, and developments at the intersection of artificial intelligence (AI) and education. In today's rapidly evolving world, AI has emerged as a powerful tool with immense potential to revolutionize the field of education. From personalized learning experiences to advanced analytics, AI is reshaping the way we teach, learn, and engage with educational content.
In this newsletter, we aim to bring you a concise and informative overview of the applications, benefits, and challenges of AI in education. Whether you're an educator, administrator, student, or simply curious about the future of education, this newsletter will serve as your trusted companion, decoding the complexities of AI and its impact on learning environments.
Our team of experts will delve into a wide range of topics, including adaptive learning algorithms, virtual tutors, smart classrooms, AI-driven assessment tools, and more. We will explore how AI can empower educators to deliver personalized instruction, identify learning gaps, and provide targeted interventions to support every student's unique needs. Furthermore, we'll discuss the ethical considerations and potential pitfalls associated with integrating AI into educational systems, ensuring that we approach this transformative technology responsibly. We will strive to provide you with actionable insights that can be applied in real-world scenarios, empowering you to navigate the AI landscape with confidence and make informed decisions for the betterment of education.
As AI continues to evolve and reshape our world, it is crucial to stay informed and engaged. By subscribing to "The Skinny on AI for Education," you will become part of a vibrant community of educators, researchers, and enthusiasts dedicated to exploring the potential of AI and driving positive change in education.