Austin Scholar #143: Why you can’t put AI apps in a traditional classroom
& how I’m using AI alongside a traditional education
Hey, y'all!
This week from Austin Scholar...
Why you can’t put AI apps in a traditional classroom
Austin’s Anecdote: How I’m using AI alongside a traditional education
Scholar’s Sources: What I’ve been thinking about…
I hope everyone had an incredible Thanksgiving break! I’m headed back to Stanford today and I’m already missing my family and friends. But I am super excited to see all of my fellow Flomies (the name for students living in Florence Moore Hall) when I get back to California.
This upcoming week should be primarily about preparing for finals, which I’m already stressed about. I will definitely be practicing some mindfulness and self-care to calm myself down and take a break in between study sessions (there’s a fun face mask and a meditation YouTube video with my name on them).
Wishing all parents luck with dealing with their finals-obsessed students. Now more than ever is a good time to remind them that they've got this!
Why you can’t put AI apps in a traditional classroom
Recently, I’ve received a few questions on why schools couldn’t just use online, AI-powered apps alongside their classroom instruction.
Even if AI was just available as a resource to students, it would take a load off of teachers’ plates and they wouldn’t have to change much! Sounds like a great solution, right?
Unfortunately, the current teacher-in-front-of-students structure of most classrooms makes implementing AI more difficult than you might think. There are two core problems: the motivation of students and the challenges in teaching after usage of the AI.
One major obstacle to putting artificial intelligence programs in school is the lack of consistent student engagement with these apps when their use is merely encouraged outside of class time.
One study found that when students were simply "encouraged" to use these tools outside of class time, 60% of the students completed less than half of the intended goal (I can’t find the specific study I read, but this one says something similar).
For instance, a Spanish teacher might tell their class to use a language learning app such as Duolingo to reinforce what was covered in class. A majority of the students will not want to complete more academic work on their own time. The few students who do complete the after school work will have a better grasp of the concepts covered in class, creating a divide between the students who use the app and the students who don’t.
After multiple weeks following this pattern, it could get extremely challenging for the teacher to instruct a class in which half the students are significantly ahead of the other half.
If this example is reflective of the average classroom, then optional AI usage clearly doesn't work.
Even when students do use online apps, their superpower of giving every student a personalized curriculum makes it challenging for students to then integrate back into a classroom setting.
The disparity in student knowledge levels created by AI-driven learning can lead to a fragmented classroom experience, where the teacher struggles to address the diverse needs of each student effectively.
This disconnect between the personalized learning facilitated by AI and the standardized approach of traditional classrooms makes integrating AI tools nearly impossible.
To fully harness the potential of AI-powered apps, a fundamental shift in the way students are educated is necessary. The traditional model must evolve enough to allow space for students to progress at their own pace. Until then, AI tools will cause more harm in classrooms than good.
There are examples, though, of AI in classrooms working.
One approach that’s been highly effective is 2 Hour Learning.
The schools and programs backed by 2 Hour Learning completely reimagine what education could look like. These schools do away with the teacher-in-front-of-class model altogether.
From afternoon workshops, to teachers serving as “guides,” to spending school hours in sports practice, everything about the school day is transformed to best utilize the abilities of AI apps.
Artificial intelligence can allow every single student to crush academics in just 2 hours per day. It just can’t happen inside of the conventional classroom model.
How I’m using AI alongside a traditional education
Now, that entire article might sound like a contradiction to what I’m doing: using AI while at Stanford (a traditional learning environment).
But I have to clarify: the above article explains why the entire system can’t rely on just jamming artificial intelligence wherever they can into their current approach. Individuals, however, can use AI to superpower their education while stuck in the traditional system.
If switching to a 2 Hour Learning program isn’t an option for you, here’s how I’m using AI at Stanford (and what you can do, too):