Worried about how Artificial Intelligence such as ChatGPT will affect your children? Lynda Eagle, an Academic Advisor at ADvTECH, shares her insights.
You might not realise it, but artificial intelligence (AI) already plays a big role in our daily lives, from correcting our texts to helping us navigate the city. However, the release of ChatGPT asks the question – how will this change the way our kids learn?
“Just as we had to adapt to the use of calculators in the classroom decades ago, so we will need to adapt to the use of artificial intelligence in our classrooms and homes,” says Lynda Eagle, Academic Advisor at private education provider ADvTECH.
Lynda says that educators can design learning experiences that move away from parroting facts to a deeper contextual understanding, with experiences that are relevant, that make connections and where the learnings can be applied to real world situations.
Age Appropriate
While Artificial Intelligence can play a part in children’s education, it’s important to be careful how and when AI tools are introduced to your kids. Lynda says that in the early years, children learn best through play-based learning opportunities where they can explore and discover through real-life experiences and interactions with the world around them.
“So, in these critical spaces of the student’s development, we must be very intentional in the way we introduce our children to devices, the appropriateness of the content they watch and the amount of screen time that they are exposed to,” she says. “In the older years and as our children become more proficient with the use of AI, it is our responsibility as educators and guardians to remain aware of what is available and the impact that it has on our students’ wellbeing and ability to learn.”
Futureproofing
Here are a few suggestions from Lynda on how parents can promote AI and technology safely:
Encourage exploration:
Encourage children to explore and experiment with AI technologies, such as chatbots, voice assistants, or educational apps – this is done more effectively where parents/educators take a more ‘co-viewing’ approach and mindfully evaluate the benefits or pitfalls of the application together.
Teach critical thinking:
Teach children to think critically about the information they receive from AI-powered sources, and to layer their own insight on top of the information they receive. It is important that children understand how algorithms work and how to ask questions in a way that can identify bias, and inaccurate statements.
Foster creativity:
Encourage children to use the information they have gained to create their own ideas and solutions, and to apply these to new learning situations or experiences.
Model healthy tech habits:
Model healthy tech behaviours – this includes the limiting of screen time. It is important that they participate in non-tech activities such as playing games, outdoor time, reading and connecting with friends and family.
Limit reliance on AI:
While it can be the easiest path of least resistance, having information at your fingertips in an instant may only fuel the need for instant gratification. It is important that children are aware that there are many resources and that building a deep understanding means looking at a situation from many different perspectives. This means that they need to explore different resources, brainstorm, communicate and collaborate, hypothesise, develop their arguments for or against, and that information should never be taken at face value.
Raise a Critical Thinker
- Motivate your kids to think deeply, ask questions, challenge ideas and not just accept things at face value. Give them the space and time to voice their opinions and hone their skills.
- Encourage them to explore, discover, investigate and experiment in a supportive learning environment.
- Don’t just answer a question when they ask – rather ask a follow up question that prompts them to clarify and support their own theory and thinking.
