Sharjah24: Middleschool children on the cusp of research-based learning had a lively and interactive chat with United States-based educator Dr Al Jones as they explored the power of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in classrooms and how it can transform learning and lives during a session titled “What Does ‘Knowing Something’ Mean in School?” at the Sharjah Children’s Reading Festival (SCRF 2024).

Dr Jones, an educator and writer with more than 25 years of experience especially in improving the lives of individuals with disabilities, observed that AI can be used in a positive way to help children learn better. He noted that AI is being used in schools to provide knowledge that is factual, which could be “any information under the sun”, procedural - as in following the steps of a cooking recipe, conceptual - which is understanding bigger ideas, and exponential - which is about experiencing something in real life.

Discussing different tools used in classrooms he noted that just like physical tools, digital tools make the learning process easier. A few children divulged that they use it for help with homework, but they are often careful about judicious use and are aware of the fact that sometimes an AI-suggested answer could be vague or misleading.

Dr Jones then posed the question if children with disabilities should be allowed to use AI more to which the students replied that they should rather approach the teacher for help; however, one student voted in favour and felt that if AI helps them study better. 

Dr Jones did not think that AI would replace teachers and said: “You need human intervention to help you with the answers you need or how to use the information you have at your disposal.” He added that in US schools, AI was used to model lesson plans and for translations. On the personal front, he made use of ChatGPT but advised his audience to double check sources. He found AI adaptable, flexible for anyone’s use and also convenient for research.

According to Dr Jones, AI would not result in unemployment. “While old jobs may go, new ones will come just as it did when the world shifted to computers widely,” he pointed out. He noted how AI was exerting a pervasive influence in people’s lives and how it nudged people to watch certain movies on Netflix or buy certain products on an online platform.

Dr Jones was also mindful of the concerns of a few teachers about weaning children away from gadgets, creating a balance between study and playtime, and motivating children to exercise their creative side. He observed that the human mind has enormous potential and should not limit itself to a computer’s “one-track mind”.

SCRF has 1500-plus activities this year and the festival organiser, Sharjah Book Authority (SBA), has ensured that the 12-day festival is completely action packed for young readers, artists and creatives as well as their families.