Teachers use AI more than students – 12/03/2023 – Ronaldo Lemos

A survey carried out in the United States highlighted an important trend. Teachers are using AI (artificial intelligence) more than students. The research was carried out by the Walton Foundation and shows elements that help to understand the role that AI will have in education.

51% of teachers use ChatGPT, while only 31% of students do the same. Among Latino and black teachers, the percentage of use jumps to 69%. The majority of students (65%) and teachers (71%) agree that artificial intelligence will be “an essential tool for success in education and work”.

Regarding the controversy over whether or not AI is welcome in schools, 38% of teachers already authorize students to use artificial intelligence in school work. In turn, 15% of students now say that they use AI tools even when teachers have not authorized their use.

This is a new type of glue. Instead of cheating on your colleague, cheating is now done with the help of artificial intelligence. This number tends to grow.

The frequency of use is also surprising: 40% of teachers already say they use technology at least once a week. Among students, weekly use is just 22%.

Looking at these numbers, it is interesting to compare them with the situation in Brazil. The reason why teachers are adopting AI quickly is certainly because they have realized that the technology helps save time in their daily lives. As in Brazil, most teachers in the United States are overwhelmed with work. AI helps quickly solve tasks such as creating lesson plans, organizing curricula, synthesizing and organizing complex texts, and so on.

In the case of Brazil, the tendency is also for it to be adopted faster by teachers than by students. For example, most teachers in Brazil are hourly, work part-time or work at more than one institution. In other words, time is your main working resource. With AI, they can gain more efficiency to organize themselves, teach more classes and perhaps increase their income or leisure.

Another essential issue in Brazil are “tutors”, or private teachers outside school hours. Only students belonging to the richest families have access to them. This ends up deepening inequality.

China, for example, recently dismantled companies that offer private tutoring. One of the justifications was to avoid the “Brazilianization” of the country. In the sense that the richest segment of the population has access to quality private education and, as a result, stops caring about the quality of public education offered to everyone.

In this context, AI can play an important role. If it is impossible to have tutors for all students, AI may end up playing the role of tutor. Students who have difficulties with a certain subject can use AI, including questions, tutoring and the formulation of exercises, to advance in that subject. Of course, for this, planning is essential and, more than ever, valuing the role of the teacher.

The teacher needs to build with students the perception that artificial intelligence is not just a cheating tool. It can be an important ally in the learning process.

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