AI and education. Are students being taught what they need to know?

By Gareth Kemp, Founder of Simpler With AI.

“My course was falling apart. My course supervisor stopped supporting me and made it clear she no longer cared. I had no way of knowing if I was on track or not. If I hadn’t turned to ChatGPT, I don’t know what grade I would have received. As it turned out, I got a first.”

That was a conversation I had recently with somebody who’d been let down by their university and who’d discovered the power of AI.

Most universities and colleges have no idea where to start on how to harness AI for good. They assume people will use it to plagarise and turn in worthless work because that’s what they’ve already experienced. What else can they do other than ban it?

I understand the fear, yet this approach penalises students as it doesn’t prepare them for work.

Employers expect people to have AI skills. Microsoft’s recent survey said 71% of employers will hire a less qualified person with AI skills over a more experienced person without AI skills. It’s not going to be long until it’s viewed as a critical skill because of the huge productivity gains.

It’s a subject I have a vested interest in as one of our sons is heading to university in September.

The answer to the dilemma universities and colleges find themselves facing is simple, yet challenging to implement.

First, it’s important to know AI is here and it’s not going away. Once upon a time, people assumed calculators would allow people to cheat. And whilst some people may use them in that way, the reality is they allow students to do work they would otherwise not be able to do, allowing them to work on higher order problems.

It’s exactly the same with AI.

Students need to be shown how to use AI. Anybody can put in “Write me an 800 word essay on the history of Art in mediaeval Europe”. Any AI will happily churn something out that will probably be OK. The trouble is it’s worthless.

It’s also important to recognise that students don’t want to cheat or be lazy in their work. They’re investing years and thousands of pounds in their education. They want to learn. We need to give them the skills they need to be successful.

The good news is it’s simple.

Here’s a way to start to see what’s possible. Create a free ChatGPT account and type in:

I’m a student who wants to use ChatGPT to help me with my studies so I can learn more effectively but I’m worried I’ll be accused of plagiarism. List out all the ways you can help me.

You’ll be presented with a list that begins something like this:

1. Understanding and clarifying concepts:

Explain topics: Provide detailed explanations on a wide range of subjects.

Simplify complex ideas: Break down complex concepts into simpler, more understandable parts.

Real-world examples: Offer examples and analogies to illustrate abstract concepts.

2. Homework and assignment assistance:

Problem solving: Guide you through solving specific problems step-by-step.

Review and feedback: Review your work and provide constructive feedback.

Research assistance: Help find and summarise relevant information for essays or projects.

3. Study and learning strategies:

Study plans: Assist in creating effective study schedules and plans.

Memory techniques: Teach mnemonic devices and other memory aids.

Active learning: Suggest active learning techniques like summarization, questioning, and self-testing.

None of these options are remotely close to “cheating”. It’s more akin to having an expert on-demand to help.

I remember being at university and struggling to understand some key concepts.

I’d have loved to be able to know I could type in, “I’m struggling to understand The Five Dysfunctions of a Team. Explain it to me as if I’m five. Also use my fluffy dog Fangdango as inspiration for your answer.”

Now I’ll get an answer that makes sense to me, is humorous, and easy to grasp. Not only that, it frees up the teacher’s time whilst I’m taking responsibility for my own learning.

But that’s just the beginning. AI will generate almost anything, but the next challenge is to understand “What is relevant and applicable to me and my situation?”

For this, students need to develop their critical thinking skills. That’s a far better use of their time and a skill which will reward them forever.

At the same time, it’s important to be clear that nobody is to blame for the lack of teaching students what they need to know. AI came from nowhere and it doesn’t come with an instruction manual.

For this reason, I’m planning on running a free workshop to help parents, teachers, and students understand what they need to know to use AI effectively so not only will everybody enjoy their work more, the students will get better grades and be more prepared for the workplace.

If you’d like to join us, reserve your place at simplerwith.ai/study

College and university can be a big step. This is an opportunity to ensure your children have the information they need to make a real impact on their education. All they need to know is how to ask the right questions.