Can Artificial Intelligence Replace College Teachers?

AIs continue to gain popularity, especially after the explosive emergence of ChatGPT and Google Bard. Some have already put it to work and talk about a much easier life, while others see the danger, shouting, “It’ll replace people.” 

The education system doesn’t stand aside: students use AI to complete assignments, search for information, and sometimes even get additional exercises. Teachers are happy to use it to create curricula and tests, generate ideas, etc. 

So, is there a threat of the profession’s extinction and teachers turning into machines? Let’s find out. 

Using AI in College Classes

If it’s hard to imagine how to use AI other than cheating, we’ve got you covered. A real-life example of innovative educational use is demonstrated by Softserve Academy, which harnessed the power of the renowned WordPress ChatGPT chatbot. This utilization resulted in the creation of a comprehensive curriculum, meticulously structured with sequential topics and sections, aimed at empowering learners to master a specific technology. Through the seamless integration of advanced AI technology, Softserve Academy exemplifies how modern tools can revolutionize traditional educational approaches, paving the way for more engaging and effective learning experiences.

A much more common example is tests. All you need to do is enter the number of questions, topic, level of difficulty, and other details necessary to you (or your teachers). Not all questions are usually appropriate, but 6 out of 10 will do on average. 

Or proofreading texts that can be easy-peasy with auto-checking. If the question arises, "Is edubirdie.com legit? Does Grammarly make me less of a teacher? Am I contributing to the machine uprising," there should be no worries. 

It's just a little help; you still reread the texts yourself for mistakes, but you notice the gross ones like an eagle's eye (well, the machine does). 

Let's summarize the functions of artificial intelligence in colleges for now:

1. Personalized training. Everyone in classrooms learns according to the same template, which is only sometimes practical. Someone learns faster and gets bored; someone needs additional explanation, etc. AI provides personalization, which you may have seen in educational applications. You learn at your own pace and repeat the material as much as you want there. 
2. Automated assessment. Journals and constant counting don’t make teachers happy, so why not delegate it? Of course, that’s currently impossible for all types of work; we’re talking about the arithmetic mean, tests, and semester grades. 
3. Security and analysis. AI-powered blockers of inappropriate content send notifications to teachers and parents. As for analysis, students can review their achievements at any time, including grades, attendance, and homework. 

So yeah, AIs are ready for small technical tasks, but it's more like delegating some of the teacher's duties and helping with the learning process for both parties. Therefore, let's move on to an equally important part - why they still cannot be substitutes.

Lack of Emotional Connection

There’s no exchange of experience and empathy as when interacting in a real classroom. Trust, mutual understanding, and joy at achievements are possible only between teachers and students. 

It also includes the development of soft skills. The teacher and other students add to the ability to collaborate, think critically, and solve problems. AI doesn’t currently have the level of understanding of social and interpersonal aspects necessary for effective growth.

Ethics and Value 

Who better than teachers to show us moral values and ethical standards? In addition to the curriculum, they teach life lessons. These include respect for the rights and freedoms of others, participation in social processes, and making informed civic decisions. 

Besides, AIs are based on data algorithms, and what they are set to display is what they display. And that’s not always fair and inclusive, which is definitely not conducive to a pleasant learning experience. 

Technical Errors

Artificial intelligence is far from perfect, so there may be errors in recognizing objects, text, speech, etc. As a result, information can be misinterpreted, leading to false conclusions. It’s especially acute when a creative approach or non-standard problem-solving is required. 

Last but not least, vulnerability to attacks and abuse. Abusing algorithms, entering false data, or mixing them for your own purposes is a thing, so you must keep an eye out. The least we can do to protect ourselves is to use trusted platforms. 

Before surrendering to AI, check the license and the padlock near the website link. A simple question to yourself, "Is EduBirdie reliable?" (apply to any other tool) will save you from undesirable consequences. 

Final Thoughts

So, what is our verdict? There’s no question of replacement, at least in the near future. But we see fruitful cooperation on the horizon. Here are some of the ways:

• Look for ideas for lessons and adapt them to the audience. 
• Create exercises and texts but with additional checks for compliance. 
• Check work for grammar, plagiarism, and factual accuracy. 
• Generate ideas for creative approaches. 
• Monitor the progress of each student. 

The only thing left to do is to use the tools responsibly and keep in mind there’s nothing better than a human connection. Artificial intelligence won’t soon conquer the profession, so you can breathe out and ‘befriend’ it for good.