Off topic: Does AI stop children from learning? Thread poster: Maria Teresa Borges de Almeida
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A recent interesting article on 'The Economist' for those of you of have school children (mine are grown-ups)
“Does AI stop children from learning?
New data show the peril and promise of the technology
STUDENTS AND SCHOOLCHILDREN are increasingly using artificial intelligence. A survey last year by Chegg, an ed-tech firm, found that 80% of rich-world undergraduates used it in their studies. More recent polls put the figure at 94% in Britain and 93% in Ger... See more A recent interesting article on 'The Economist' for those of you of have school children (mine are grown-ups)
“Does AI stop children from learning?
New data show the peril and promise of the technology
STUDENTS AND SCHOOLCHILDREN are increasingly using artificial intelligence. A survey last year by Chegg, an ed-tech firm, found that 80% of rich-world undergraduates used it in their studies. More recent polls put the figure at 94% in Britain and 93% in Germany.
Such widespread adoption has fuelled concerns about the impact the technology might be having on learning. Teachers report marking identikit essays that they suspect are churned out by ChatGPT. Yet firm evidence on AI’s educational effects has been lacking.
David Stromberg of Stockholm University and Victor Lei and Wu Yanhui of the University of Hong Kong set out to fill the gap. They tracked 27,000 pupils aged 12-18 in China, where AI adoption has been fast. Around 80% reported using models such as Doubao and DeepSeek; the other 20% formed the control group.
The results are eye-opening. After six months, pupils using AI saw their average homework score rise by 18% across all subjects. The time they took to complete each assignment fell from an average of 64 minutes to 45. But come exam time, the same students scored 20% below their classmates who had not called on AI’s help. Homework scores once predicted exam performance; now those who score highest are, perversely, more likely to do worse in exams.
Should schools ban AI? Not necessarily. The drop in exam scores was concentrated among students who rushed their homework. Those who used AI but spent as long on assignments as non-users paid little penalty. What matters, then, is how pupils use the technology. Those whose exam results remained strong were not simply copying and pasting answers to save time. More likely they used the chatbots as a personal tutor, perhaps to explain difficult concepts or help solve specific problems.
In another new study, Zara Contractor and Germán Reyes of Middlebury College had undergraduates learn about an unfamiliar topic, either with or without the help of a chatbot. Students using AI scored higher on tests, and the advantage persisted when they repeated the task a week later.
The evidence, though still limited, points one way: AI can boost learning productivity, but only for those who use the technology intelligently. Students must resist the temptation to reach for an AI-generated answer before thinking things through for themselves.”
Good reading! ▲ Collapse
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Daryo
Local time: 18:18
Serbian to English
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| The operative word is 'conation' | 12:54 |
What matters, then, is how pupils use the technology. Those whose exam results remained strong were not simply copying and pasting answers to save time. More likely they used the chatbots as a personal tutor, perhaps to explain difficult concepts or help solve specific problems.
IOW it doesn't matter what kind of 'learning aids' you use [AI being the latest one available - same applies to printed manuals], conation must be part of the process. Pedagogy 101 – I still remembe... See more What matters, then, is how pupils use the technology. Those whose exam results remained strong were not simply copying and pasting answers to save time. More likely they used the chatbots as a personal tutor, perhaps to explain difficult concepts or help solve specific problems.
IOW it doesn't matter what kind of 'learning aids' you use [AI being the latest one available - same applies to printed manuals], conation must be part of the process. Pedagogy 101 – I still remember that from a text I translated eons ago.
Which is just a very scientifically sounding word to state the (blindingly?] obvious:
'if you don't make any personal effort, you'll never learn anything'. ▲ Collapse
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| Keep children away from AI | 13:18 |
One aspect of AI that really bothers me is that it is very "compliant." It makes you feel like you are always right and have brilliant ideas; it traps you in your own little world. It is very unhealthy.
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Does AI stop children from learning?
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