The Future Has Arrived—How AI is Revolutionizing Education

“I’m sorry Dave. I can’t do that.” Some may recognize these lines from a pivotal scene in Stanley Kubrick’s classic film 2001: A Space Odyssey, a science fiction epic about a crew of scientists and astronauts on an interplanetary mission. Controlling flight operations aboard the spacecraft is a digital artificial intelligence—the HAL 9000, referred to as “HAL,” a sentient supercomputer which, through its programming, has developed human-like “consciousness” and reasoning abilities. These attributes cause HAL to independently exercise its own agency to disobey the crew's commands. HAL believes that the space mission must be completed at all costs and that carrying out the crew’s orders would put this goal at risk. The intentional and self-directed actions taken by HAL had disastrous consequences for the crew.

This futuristic film was first released in 1968. However, more than 50 years later, the issues raised in the film related to artificial intelligence or AI remain relevant as we find ways to harness its enormous capabilities and power to perform tasks with greater efficiency than was possible previously. But the power of AI must be leveraged carefully. While the unfortunate result of the “AI gone wild” depicted in Kubrick’s film may be considered extreme, it highlights the need to adopt guardrails that ensure AI is used responsibly and ethically. Among the many sectors where this is critical is the field of education. The use of technology can enhance students’ learning experiences and provide them with educational opportunities they might not have otherwise. It can have a positive impact on learners even at a young age. For example, the early integration of AI into the classroom can inspire young learners to study STEM and other disciplines by making content more accessible and engaging. This can help students develop a deep understanding of the subject matter and make learning fun. However, in the absence of responsible precautions, the widespread availability of AI poses the risk of circumventing the learning process by providing students with easy access to “the answer”—whether that is for an assignment in mathematics, science, or language arts. Nada Dabbagh, Professor Emerita of Education within the School of Education at George Mason University, recently shared her thoughts on the use of generative AI in education.

Productive Struggle in Learning and the Use of AI

It is human nature to seek instant gratification. And when it comes to completing a complex project or problem assigned at school, it can be very tempting for some students to obtain that quick gratification by taking the path of least resistance offered by AI. Real learning, however, takes real effort. It requires thinking about the assignment, planning a strategy on how to approach the task at hand, identifying available resources needed to get the job done, collaborating with peers to exchange ideas, and most importantly, using critical thinking skills. Experts refer to this process as a “productive struggle” and emphasize that it is at the core of how individuals learn. When a student turns to generative AI tools such as ChatGPT, Copilot, Gemini, and other chatbots in search of a quick and immediate solution to an assignment, the opportunity for real learning is lost and the student fails to achieve any gains in enhancing their higher order or critical thinking skills. This can be one of the pitfalls of using AI in education.

Generative AI can help create personalized learning experiences for students.

But when used properly, AI has the potential to help students and educators alike in beneficial ways that will improve learning. One area where generative AI can be a valuable educational tool involves using it to help students create their own personal learning environment. Researchers have found that by integrating the opportunity for AI-supported interactions within an approach known as the “personalized learning interaction framework” students will be able to exercise more agency over their learning in a way that responds to their specific learning needs and style. For example, a student could utilize generative AI to identify information sources in support of their independent research for a paper on a specific topic that interests them. Students could also converse with a chatbot to reinforce their learning of content material covered in class that they may not have fully understood at the time the material was presented. Generative AI could serve as the student’s tutor and help them to learn at a pace that suits their individual style of learning.

Educators can use AI to meet a student’s individual learning needs.

There are many examples of how AI can be channeled to help educators support the learning needs of their students. Educators can customize an AI-powered chatbot to align it with the curriculum they teach in their own course. This customization can ensure that when a student conducts a search using a chatbot for an assignment given in class, the information generated will be derived only from reliable articles, papers, readings, and content that the instructor has approved and “fed” into the chatbot.

A teacher can also utilize AI to help identify areas where a student’s academic performance may not be meeting desired outcomes. With this information, a teacher will be better able to shift their teaching methods to one that is more aligned with how a student who is struggling academically learns. This could result in a student’s improved academic performance.

The widespread use of AI in education highlights the need for safeguards to ensure it is used responsibly.

Some observers suggest that the widespread use of generative AI is equivalent to a modern-day industrial revolution. The emergence of this AI revolution has had a profound impact on education and other disciplines. The rapid addition of AI highlights the need for a comprehensive infrastructure to be put in place that will provide safeguards aimed at minimizing the risks associated with its use. In the field of education, this type of infrastructure must be developed with consideration given to contextualized learning experiences. The International Society for Technology in Education has published its comprehensive ISTE standards which offers guidance for students, educators, educator leaders, and instructional coaches for integrating technology into the classroom.

For more information on degree offerings in the Learning Design and Technology Program within George Mason University's School of Education, please visit the program website.