According to D. Misiūnas, education was named as one of the main areas where a huge breakthrough and transformation should take place due to the influence of AI. But while there’s a lot of enthusiasm for AI, we’re not yet seeing revolutions in education. “A desire alone is not enough, concrete measures are needed. Moreover, the speed of adaptation and change is dictated by man. Naturally, decision-makers in education are not people who grew up with technology, so their adaptation is slower, their digital appetite is lower,” says D. Misiūnas, emphasizing that this does not mean that AI is not used in education.
DI helps work, but it will not take work away from educated people
D. Misiūnas singles out two main advantages of AI “employment” in the field of education.
“Perhaps the most important thing is that certain AI tools provide the opportunity to personalize the learning process, meaning that everyone can learn in a way and at a speed that suits them. The second benefit of AI tools is automation. In the field of education, as in other fields, many administrative activities can be automated with the help of AI. This allows us to deal with routine tasks faster and helps educators to devote time and attention to the most important activities,” the interviewer asserts.
He cautions, however, that automation of some tasks requires caution. “Algorithms can improve feedback, for example, but the line between benefit and potential harm is very thin. After all, after receiving automatic letters, we probably don’t feel very honored”, says the rector.
“Will AI take jobs away from educated people?” And have remote courses and online learning, which became extremely popular during the pandemic, taken jobs away from educators? No. Statistics show that only one out of ten students who start studying online, asynchronously, complete their studies. Meanwhile, when you come to study at a university, for example, at our management school, 10 out of 10 graduate. Why? After all, studying online is cheaper and you don’t have to go anywhere. However, it is important for people to feel a collective spirit, pressure, inspiration, support, guidance and this helps to travel that not always easy learning journey. Human relations remain very important,” D. Misiūnas is convinced.
When asked if the university is facing a fraud problem, where term papers are written by ChatGPT instead of students, the rector smiles.
“With the help of technology, we quickly identify such work, and the student has to go to the ethics commission. However, using AI to find, organize or edit information is certainly not prohibited. It can be a great help for students to learn more effectively, but you need to understand that AI can help you create an intermediate material, not a final product,” the interviewer points out.
The most important skill is critical thinking
Reflecting on how the learning process and goals are changing in the age of technology, the ISM leader says that we are currently witnessing a transformation where skills are becoming more important than knowledge.
“Traditionally, we learn to acquire knowledge. But nowadays, knowledge has become extremely easy and fast to access, especially with ChatGPT or other tools. We understand more and more that knowledge is not everything, on the contrary, we feel lost because of its abundance. We can see this very clearly in the application forms, especially when it comes to the students of the master’s program and the management school. The need for knowledge that prevailed 5 years ago is being replaced by the need to expand the network of skills and professional contacts”, says D. Misiūnas.
According to him, it becomes important how you choose that knowledge, what you do with it and what kind of change you can achieve.
“Therefore, the most important skill in the AI era is and will be critical thinking, which will help you distinguish biased, insufficient, algorithm-generated one-sided information.” One of the main roles of education will be to help people develop the skill of critical thinking and make decisions based on it,” the rector is convinced.
The young generation – everyone is discovering their own way of learning
When asked what learning styles and habits are characteristic of the young generation growing up with technology, D. Misiūnas first of all notices that there are different ways of making initial contacts. Remote, asynchronous communication is often prioritized over live communication: “That’s why at the stage of undergraduate admissions, taking into account the fact that a phone call may not be the preferred form of communication, we have online interviews for that, English. chat The entrant answers when he can and wants. However, after becoming part of the community, students fit in perfectly and communicate both live and remotely,” the head of the university shares.
D. Misiūnas also draws attention to the fact that the social ecosystem of youth is much wider and more diverse than previous generations: it is not only physical, but also digital, not only local, but also global. Being so different and diverse, young people are not afraid to individualize their way of learning.
“They are brave, they are not afraid to experiment and search. While studying, some rely more on teachers and contacts with them, while others read, test, use new technological tools or use a unique combination of learning methods,” the interviewer asserts.
According to him, the use of AI tools in learning will have multiple effects.
“Since AI algorithms are based on averages, those who are below the average will benefit the most from these tools, that is, they will be able to rise to it. The so-called “super users” will also win a lot, and with the help of technology, they will further reveal their talent and implement the most daring ideas. Meanwhile, the “average” may face a number of challenges in order to discover their uniqueness and advantages”, predicts D. Misiūnas.
D. Misiūnas invites you to discuss these and other issues related to the impact of technology on the education system in more detail on September 17. in the ongoing “Atea Action. Wellbeing in Tech” conference.
2024-08-21 13:04:04