AI is a technology advancement that is used worldwide, in schools by students and teachers, in various jobs, at home, and in many other applications. The issue is that schools are starting to ban AI tools in the classroom because of the misuse of what AI should be: a helpful learning and support tool. The goal is to enable AI to be used in schools as a means of providing support and feedback to teachers and students’ learning. Although some concerns exist about the misuse of AI, implementing AI tools to support both students and teachers with personalized tutoring and feedback encourages academic independence in students. Therefore, schools should implement AI tools as resources for these purposes.
Many students need a little extra help/support both inside and outside the classroom, but may not have access to tutoring, have the time, or feel comfortable seeking support from a teacher or tutor. Now, why would educators take away a vital tool to help their students? According to “VOA News,” “A federal survey from December found schools reported that about 10 percent of students received intensive tutoring several days a week. Only two percent of U.S. households said their children are getting intensive tutoring, a study from USC found.” Sadly, intensive tutoring isn’t as accessible as it once was, but students still need help and support. If students don’t get the help and support they need, more and more students will fall behind, resulting in loss of academic skills and knowledge used to set them up for their futures. AI could be a part of the solution to this problem. AI is like a virtual tutor that students can access both inside and outside of the classroom. By providing AI as a virtual tutor, students will still be provided the help and support that they need without having to spend extra time in the classroom, feeling embarrassed or ashamed for needing additional support, or not having access to/being able to afford the support that they need.
Including AI tools in schools is not only important for students but also for their teachers. AI allows students to get the help they need while still allowing teachers the opportunity to achieve their learning goals and to maintain a stable classroom. It is time to implement AI tools into schools to encourage academic independence in students and to provide support and feedback to students and teachers through a virtual tutor.