How far can artificial intelligence in education take us? This is a question that causes concern among educators and school administrators. AI is nothing new; it’s a technology that has been impacting our reality for a long time. However, advances in generative AI in recent years—such as ChatGPT—have added a new dimension to the field of education, shifting discussions about the adoption of AI in the classroom from the hypothetical “if” to the “how.”

Incorporating AI tools into the classroom in a way that effectively supports student learning is no simple task. One of the questions that calls into question the effectiveness of implementing innovations is whether teachers are comfortable and capable of using AI-based technologies in their teaching practices. Furthermore, will they have full autonomy to use them?

Tanci Simões , an educational analyst at CESAR School, believes that the main impact of AI on teachers is the potential to alleviate the workload inherent in the nature of the profession, given the volume of activities related to the teaching and learning process. However, teacher training remains a lingering concern.

“Tools based on generative AI that can support lesson planning and delivery, as well as the learning assessment process, represent potential opportunities. On the other hand, the challenges center on the inherent limitations of the resource and those who use it, since teachers lack training opportunities that would enable them to fully master these resources and their features—which, in turn, affects how comfortable they feel about adopting them in their daily work,” says Tanci.

She points out that teachers lack a solid understanding of the elements of instructional design that could make the adoption of generative AI even more productive by enabling them to use these resources in innovative and creative ways.

Tanci points out that teachers need to have a firm grasp of the answers to the following questions: “How do you set learning objectives? How do you combine teaching methodologies with different types of content? And what are the most effective educational resources for the learning objectives and content to be presented? What about teaching strategies? And assessment processes?”

Rafael Ferreira Mello , a senior researcher at CESAR School and professor at the Federal Rural University of Pernambuco (UFRPE), believes that AI is a tool that can enhance student learning by integrating the teaching practices already used by teachers.

"Artificial Intelligence is emerging as a powerful tool that enhances what teachers already do in the classroom. Historically, classes were smaller, with 30 or 40 students, but today, in online courses, that number can reach 100 or 150. How do teachers manage so many students? AI steps in to analyze data and support the teacher, such as by providing feedback and grading specific questions. It’s an important support tool—not an automated tool that does everything without the teacher being involved in the process,” said Mello.

The professor emphasizes that AI and other educational technologies should be considered within a broader context of teacher support.

“We need to understand AI from a broader perspective; we can’t simply say that AI will handle administrative tasks and that teachers will focus more on teaching, because that can lead to frustration. In a broader sense, AI is a tool in the teaching and learning process, and, like any other technology, to maximize its use, AI needs to be integrated into teaching practices and incorporated into course design,” he says.

AI with a Purpose in K-12 Education

The discussion on how to meaningfully integrate AI into K-12 education in both private and public schools is one of the central themes of the Bett Northeast Conference, which will take place on September 4 and 5 in Recife, Pernambuco.

The traveling event, sponsored by Bett Brasil—the organizer of the largest Innovation and Technology in Education event in Latin America—has adopted the following central theme to guide the panel discussions: “Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Emotional Intelligence (EI) in education: what should we learn?”

The two experts from CESAR School will be at the Bett Nordeste Conference as guest speakers on the panels “AI in Education: Transforming Learning” and “The Future of Education: Innovative Practices Using Artificial Intelligence,” respectively.

See also:

• Sinepe-PE is a co-organizer of the Bett Northeast Conference
• Five Reasons to Attend the Bett Brasil Traveling Event
• Registration is now open for the Bett Nordeste Conference

Both agree that the use of AI must always be scrutinized, even if the introduction of this technology in education has the potential to bring more benefits than drawbacks. Mello emphasizes that the most important factor in implementing new technologies is understanding the context of the educational institution and the specific region in which it operates.

“Just because a resource worked in Recife doesn’t mean it will work in São Paulo. It’s also necessary to work with teachers—not only to provide training, but also to raise awareness and explain the potential of using technology—because, at the end of the day, it’s the teachers who use it,” explains the professor.

He emphasizes the need to evaluate new technologies based on the specific characteristics of the educational environment and the teachers.

“Instead of looking at the best practices around the world and bringing them here, we need to understand the local context and, based on that, assess what solutions address those problems and how they meet the needs of those specific professionals. I think we took the wrong approach when adopting previous technologies,” he comments.

According to Tanci, we should not discourage questions about AI, because we would be giving up on critical thinking and, worse still, on educational intent. She believes that the tool would be more effective if we thought more about the reason (why) and the method (how) we use new technologies.

“Although there are presumed—and, to some extent, obvious—benefits, it seems inappropriate to me to establish a single standard. Depending on the context, the objective, and the target audience, the use of generative AI in the classroom may offer more or fewer benefits. And in that case, it is up to the teacher to decide based on the data and evidence at their disposal,” she says.

In closing, the education analyst once again stresses the importance of proper training and literacy regarding the use of AI by teachers. “How many teachers are able to distinguish between traditional AI and generative AI? How many are able to discern when to use one or the other? How many are able to identify their limitations? And what about the ethical and legal implications?” she asks.

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