Upgrade Your Learning
Lately, there’s been a lot of discussion about the rapid growth and pervasiveness of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and its applications. Maybe you’ve been reluctant to tap into the AI world, but hear us out. Have you ever looked at a blank screen for hours because you had no idea where to start in your writing process? Maybe you did the readings for class, but when you showed up it felt like you weren’t even in the same book. Maybe you read an important email or final paper a dozen times and still couldn’t find the typo before you hit “send” or “upload”. Maybe you have a difficult time managing your time and could use some help organizing your week in preparation of exams, family commitments, or time off. These are just some of the many uses for AI.
So, what does AI have to do with Higher Learning? Well, AI has the capacity to transform education through its ability to create personalized study tools, provide timely and relevant feedback, and supplement in-classroom learning. It just may be the answer to help you “Flip the syllabus” and “Keep Doing More,” as discussed in Higher Learning. For example, it can provide additional tutoring if you need extra support in a really tough class, it can help teachers develop college-ready course content, and it can even translate lectures in real time for international students. It can also help you understand things in layman’s terms, allowing you to focus more on applying course content. Maybe you are incredibly busy and just need help prioritizing your time and managing upcoming projects. There’s AI for that. The benefits of AI are clear; not only can it assist you on your day-to-day tasks, but it can also enhance your learning and your productivity allowing you to use more brain power on things that matter.
Unfortunately, like all things, there are some drawbacks. First, accessibility. While most people have access to a phone or computer, the rise of AI furthers the negative effects of the digital divide, especially for folks who already have difficulty accessing and utilizing technology. Additionally, while many AI services are free, some features are reserved for paid subscribers, creating financial barriers. Further, frequent developments and the current lack of regulation contribute to the misuse of AI. There are also some fears around data privacy, copyright infringement, and the belief that an overreliance on AI will reduce the ability for students to learn or develop the necessary skills to be successful in the future.
While these fears have substance, the only way to avoid pitfalls is to become informed about AI, share your knowledge, and use it with good intentions. It must also be said that AI should not be used as the primary source of learning. Go to the lecture and office hours, do the readings, connect with your professor, and use study groups and additional supports to truly wrestle with the material and push yourself. Second, know that not all content generated by AI will be factual or accurate. Know how to do your research and identify AI- versus human-generated content. You should also keep this in mind when researching on the internet, as there’s a lot of misinformation and fake news out there (especially as election season comes to a close).
Next, encourage the ethical and appropriate use of AI as a tool to enhance learning and quality of work rather than generating work from scratch. Use it for brainstorming ideas, perfecting your writing, and organizing your thoughts. Learn how to ask it the right questions to ensure it is as useful to you as possible. AI should not be the solution for everything; it will not save you when you need to finish a writing assignment or prepare for a presentation at the last minute. Actually… it might, but will it be your best work, and are you ok with that? Also, some colleges view the use of AI as plagiarism. Don’t risk it all because you didn’t plan ahead.
Ultimately, while you should always be your best resource, using AI may add extra capacity and even help you to better prepare and manage school, life, and work. Whether you use it or not, AI and other technologies will continue to advance. While it may feel uncomfortable at first to embrace this change, it is becoming more and more ingrained in our daily lives. It’s in your best interest to get familiar now and sharpen your toolset, growing along with advances in AI’s development.
Here’s a quick list of some of the most popular AI tools right now:
- Chatbots — ChatGPT, Microsoft CoPilot, Gemini
- Grammar Checker — Grammarly
- Image Creation — DALL·E 3
- Scheduling — Motion
- Meeting Transcription — Otter.ai
- Student learning — Socratic by Google
Notes: AI was used to create parts of this blog entry such as brainstorming the title and highlighting the various uses of AI in education. Additional research was necessary to provide support for its claims. It is also important to note some schools and workplaces prohibit the use of AI or have restrictions on the content that can be entered into these services. Always ask about its approved uses in school or work.
