Whether it’s for helping them with their exams or helping them with their personal struggles, the increase in the usage of AI technology amongst university students leaves room for a lot of debate. It is a relevant topic that has created both positive and negative reactions across the education sector, and the speed in which the technology is advancing is making it almost unavoidable.
The most common software that is used by students for educational purposes is ChatGPT, an automated bot which is often utilised in terms of brainstorming ideas, summarising text and answering any questions in detail. The software and similar others have been welcomed by many schools and universities and can be beneficial in helping students with their studies.
Not only can AI softwares help with learning, but many are also programmed to answer questions in a human-like manner and form a conversation or offer advice, which raises concerns about how this constant communication can lead to problems with social skills and impact overall mental health.
There are many positive and negative impacts that come with the rise in artificial intelligence within universities:
PROS OF AI IN EDUCATION
One of the most highly argued positives of using artificial intelligence in education is how it gives students instant and personalised support, with services such as ChatGPT and other chatbots being able to answer specific questions with a range of resources and ideas, as well as giving advice on how to improve any work when no teacher is available.
The use of AI technology has also been regarded as building more engagement between many students and their work, with services offering more interactive ways to learn, alongside offering quick and detailed feedback and often improving the confidence of some students.
Not only is it adaptive and engaging, but it is also has improved accessibility for students with learning difficulties or language differences, which helps struggling students by making their education more inclusive without the constant need for support from teachers.
CONS OF AI IN EDUCATION
However, the technology in education also holds many concerns, such as how the constant use of AI can offset a student’s ability to form their own ideas and further impact their overall cognitive function. This can lead to students forming a dependency on the technology for support rather than thinking for themselves, which can be damaging as they head closer to entering the world of work after university.
It is still very flawed when it comes to researching academic work, as it can often produce misinformation due to picking up false or outdated data which may not be checked by a student. The information that it generates can often be biased as some apps or sites are built on biased systems, which can make responses stereotypical or non-inclusive and affect a student’s grade if the information is used.
Another issue is how many students turn to a chatbot for day-to-day conversations if they have no one to speak to, which creates fears that this may lead to students isolating themselves socially if they resort to talking to AI instead of real people, further offsetting social skills and forming emotional deficits such as lack of motivation or depression in extreme cases.
IS IT SAFE TO USE IN UNIVERSITIES?
It is important that schools and universities research both the advantages and disadvantages that the technology has on students before allowing it to be used. There should always be in-person support available and encouragement given to students to only use it for necessary purposes, so that the positives that these softwares have on learning can balance out from the potentially negative impacts.
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