It is believed by some that learning using artificial intelligence is more beneficial for students as it offers personalized learning based on each learner’s knowledge gaps. In contrast, other people place greater emphasis on real teachers, as it is evident that personal connection and essential soft skills cannot be provided by a machine. I highly agree with the second view, as in my opinion personal mentorship is crucial for young minds in shaping their individuality and development of some significant soft skills. While I acknowledge the fact that routine tasks such as checking homework and creating personalised assignments for each student can be done by the AI, being a perfect instrument for teachers in the future.
On the one hand, AI offers a wide range of opportunities, like personalized learning. The major drawback of our contemporary educational system is that it has standardized learning programs, thus teachers are not capable of providing individual classes for the pace of understanding of each student. Meanwhile, AI can adapt lessons to each student’s level, pace and preferred learning style. Such an approach helps pupils understand topics better, especially this can be relevant for people with physical and mental disabilities who have to study from home. Moreover, learning under AI assistance is available anytime and anywhere. Students can ask questions and learn whenever they want, which makes education more flexible. In addition, the greatest advantage that AI has over real humans is that it produces results within seconds. For example, students’ task response accuracy and explanation are available almost immediately, which contributes to the efficiency of the learning, without wasting time on waiting.
On the other hand, schools are the foundational factor in the forming of future mature individuals’ communicative proficiency and socialisation. First of all, empathy and creativity are the vital attributes of teachers that AI will never learn. Teachers motivate, encourage, and understand students emotionally, while AI cannot truly care about students’ feelings. Such impersonal forms of learning are not able to motivate students to continue their educational path and explain deeper emotional levels that are hidden in poetry and other works with artistic values due to lack of empathy. Likewise, eliminating teachers from schools will deprive students of the opportunity to develop vital social skills. Human interaction is essential for personal growth and more cognitive-mature figures like teachers are helping them to develop. They depict social role models that young individuals want to mirror and follow. Furthermore, the first understanding of social hierarchy is formed in schools due to teachers, which is vital for future careers when individuals are improving their professional relationships with employers.
In conclusion, although AI is a highly valuable educational tool that enhances efficiency and personalization, it cannot replace teachers, whose emotional support and ability to develop students’ social and critical thinking skills remain essential.