AI in education

St Edward’s College

Dwardu’s Scoops

Artificial Intelligence in the classrooms?

By Daniel Caruana Smith

Whilst the debate regarding how much screen-time is too much for children and adults alike, there’s no denying the fact that artificial intelligence is becoming an increasingly viable option. The COVID-19 pandemic only serves as an accelerator to the process.

“What is the future of education?” It’s a question that is, or should, be asked at any level of education. Skills and competences passed on need to be useful, relevant to an upcoming generation. Entire schools were dedicated to the learning of skills such as shorthand and typewriting. Are these not capabilities anymore? Of course they are, however, they are no longer relevant. The ability to write in shorthand has been relegated to a curiosity instead of a necessary skill.

But how far does this logic hold true? Can we just dismiss subjects based on their applicability? With this logic in mind, we have already seen a shift in teaching pedagogies. Teachers are considered facilitators of learning as opposed to walking encyclopaedias. Will we ever find ourselves in a situation where teachers become redundant; obsolete thanks to a digital brain that can do the job instead? Unlikely. No matter how far automation and artificial intelligence achieve, there will still be a place for conventional, human teachers.

It is the role that is changing. Take a look at any automated, mass production industry. The so-called ‘hired hands’ are replaced by machinery, robots just as capable of picking, marking, welding or cutting as any human worker. The question is, who keeps these artificial intelligence systems going? In most cases, it is a team of programmers, technicians

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In This Issue...

AI in education ………..…….1

College Council ….....1, 10-11 Year of the Tiger……...……..2 Early readers…………...…….4 Waxworks ……………...……6

Lights Out? …...….……...8

Bubble, bubble …….…...…..9

Safer Internet………...……..12

Well Done!

Zac Bianco and Lawrence Saliba have been elected President and VicePresident respectively of the St Edward’s College School Council. The beaming smiles say it all!

Coverage for Dwardu’s Scoops was carried out by Luigi Portelli and Julian Coppini. (see stories inside)