AI as a Tutor in Education: A Glimpse into the Future of Learning
How AI tutors could revolutionise education by providing personalised, round-the-clock support to every student.
Imagine every student having access to a personal tutor who is available 24/7, adapts to individual learning needs, and tirelessly offers support. This may sound utopian, but artificial intelligence (AI) is making it a reality.
As early as 1984, educational psychologist Benjamin Bloom demonstrated in his study on the “Two Sigma Problem” that students receiving one-on-one tutoring performed on average two standard deviations better than those in a conventional classroom setting. The study’s results show that students receiving individual attention outperform 98% of the control group taught in traditional classroom settings. This implies that we know the key to successful education, but we currently lack the resources to implement it widely.
But can AI tutors truly take on the role of personal teachers and solve the “Two Sigma Problem”? This article explores the opportunities and challenges that AI tutors bring to the education sector.
Opportunities & Benefits of AI Tutors
Integrating AI into education opens up the possibility of making personalised learning a widespread and cost-effective offering. The integration of AI in education offers several advantages, including:
- Personalised Learning: AI tutors can adapt to individual learning paces and styles, tailoring the content accordingly.
- Constant Availability: Unlike human teachers, AI tutors are available around the clock.
- Scalability: AI systems can cater to numerous students simultaneously.
- Engagement and Motivation: Through interactive exercises and personalised feedback, AI can make the learning process more engaging.
- Deep Support: AI tutors can analyse performance patterns to identify knowledge gaps and provide targeted assistance.
- Teacher Support: AI can assist in lesson preparation and analysis, giving teachers more time to focus on individual student care.
A successful example of AI use in education is Khan Academy. This non-profit educational platform uses AI to create personalised learning pathways for students and offer tailored support. The platform illustrates the potential of AI tutors to make learning more interactive and engaging by providing interactive exercises, videos, and personalised feedback that meets the unique needs of each learner.
Potential Risks & Challenges
Despite the promising opportunities, the use of AI tutors also poses certain challenges:
- Cheating and Lack of Initiative: The easy availability of AI-generated content could encourage cheating and reduce students’ initiative.
- Lack of Human Interaction: The social aspect of learning and emotional support from teachers could be lacking.
- Data Protection and Security: The use of student data by AI systems raises concerns about data protection.
- Bias in Data: AI systems could inherit and reinforce existing biases from the training data.
- Overreliance on Technology: There is a risk of viewing AI tutors as a panacea and neglecting the importance of pedagogical expertise.
Historical Parallel: The Calculator
The integration of AI tutors into education is reminiscent of the introduction of calculators in the 1970s. At that time, similar concerns and resistance existed. Many teachers feared that students would forget basic arithmetic skills.
As educational researcher Sarah J. Banks points out,¹ many teachers initially recognised the potential for increased motivation and engagement among students with calculators. They believed that once students had acquired basic skills and knowledge, they should be allowed to use calculators to solve more realistic and complex problems.
A study from that time² found that 84% of teachers planned to use calculators in their classes, yet only 3% worked in schools that provided such devices. The integration of calculators into education required the support of school administrations and parents.
Over time, it became evident that calculators not only increased learning efficiency but also opened new avenues for solving complex problems. Teachers began teaching students the basics of mathematics before allowing them to use calculators to solve more realistic and complex assignments.
The integration of AI tutors could similarly transform education. Teachers would then be able to focus on teaching critical thinking skills and the application of knowledge.
Historical Parallel: The Printing Press & the Internet
The introduction of new technologies in education is not a new phenomenon. The printing press, typewriters, and the internet have revolutionised the way we learn and teach. Each of these innovations was initially met with some scepticism. There were fears that books would weaken oral traditions and people’s memory.
Experiences with earlier technologies show that they not only changed how knowledge was conveyed, but also enriched learning. The integration of AI tutors should build on these experiences. Teachers and students need to learn how to effectively use AI to improve the learning process. This requires continuous reflection and adaptation of pedagogical approaches.
Conclusion
The integration of AI tutors in education opens up the possibility of making learning more personalised, effective, and accessible. Providing personalised learning around the clock, tailored to the individual needs of students, represents a significant advancement.
At the same time, the challenges, and risks must be taken seriously. The dangers of cheating, lack of human interaction, data protection concerns, and potential biases in the data should not be underestimated. It is therefore essential that educational institutions establish clear guidelines for the use of AI and ensure that the technology is used responsibly.
Experiences show that technological innovations can enrich the education system when used correctly. However, the human teacher and mentor remain irreplaceable. Technological advances should always be seen as a complement to, not a replacement for, human learning.
The success of AI in education will largely depend on whether we can successfully integrate the technology into the educational context and foster collaboration between humans and machines. The future of education in the age of AI offers great opportunities but also requires careful and thoughtful implementation.
The integration of AI in education is just beginning. It is up to all of us to shape and use this technology in a way that combines the best of human and machine capabilities, giving all learners the opportunity to reach their full potential.
References
[1] Ethan Mollick (2024): Co-Intelligence. Living and Working with AI, p. 138.
[2] ibid.
This is an English translation of a blog post that was originally published in the author’s blog in German.
