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Journalism of Courage
World Teachers’ Day 2024: As we celebrate World Teachers’ Day 2024 on October 5, the impact of artificial intelligence (AI) on education has become a central topic of discussion. AI is now a common tool for students and teachers alike, transforming the way homework is done and how lesson plans are created.
“A couple of my students have submitted an essay assignment generated out of AI services such as ChatGPT, but they forget that we are their teachers and we think two steps ahead. As a norm, I now run all of my assignments through AI detectors, which are easily available online. When students have tried to play smart with me, I have always asked them to redo their assignment. A student of mine last month told me how he decided never to use AI in homework again because it doubled the work for him,” a Hindi teacher from Pune shared with indianexpress.com.
Teachers are also having to get more careful in checking for AI now as they fear that students are more technologically advanced than them. “I come from Yahoo Messenger era, and therefore it took me time to adjust to the new normal. However, things are pretty simple if you just read online tutorials. But I am more vigilant now because students are well-versed with technology,” the teacher added.
The increasing use of AI in education also brings challenges. As Asif Zaman Ahmed, a teacher from Naliapool Bengali High School in Dibrugarh, Assam, points out AI’s ability to provide instant answers often leads students to depend on it for quick solutions. This, in turn, diminishes their motivation to engage in deeper thinking and intellectual challenges. “Students are becoming impatient,” said Ahmed. “They want immediate results and are less inclined to work through difficult problems, which is essential for developing critical thinking.”
Meanwhile, teachers are also using AI as their little helper. Seema Saberwal, a teacher at Amity International School Noida, uses AI to tailor lesson plans to individual student needs but refrains from using AI to frame questions or evaluate student progress. “Over-reliance on AI can diminish human interaction, compromise data privacy, and overlook the complexities of human learning,” Saberwal said.
“To offer an experience beyond AI’s reach, we use human-centric approaches like storytelling to share personal anecdotes, historical context or social implications, role-playing to develop empathy through real-world scenarios, and group discussions to encourage critical thinking and foster constructive feedback among students,” she added.
While AI has become everyone’s best friend, it still lacks the human touch that a teacher possesses. Since teachers are able to compare students’ offline and online performance, checking if the assignments are AI-generated gets a tad easier for them. “I know those students personally so I can compare their in-class performance with their on-paper assignment and assess within seconds if the student has had any help,” the Pune teacher added.
Additionally, it is also being argued that while AI continues to revolutionise education, it cannot replace the human connection, creativity and ethical guidance that only teachers can provide.
Take, for example, Vishwendra Gurjar, a government school teacher in Rajasthan. When one of his students lost a family member, Vishwendra didn’t just grant extensions on homework assignments but became a mentor, offering emotional support and helping the student navigate grief while staying on track academically.
The COVID-19 pandemic rapidly accelerated the integration of technology into education. While AI and digital platforms became crucial tools during remote learning, they couldn’t replace the empathy, creativity, and sense of community fostered by in-person teaching.
“We’ve blended technology with traditional teaching methods, but we have focused on reducing technology-based homework. Instead, we emphasise hands-on tasks and reflective activities that encourage students to apply what they’ve learned in meaningful ways,” explained Anju Soni, principal of Shiv Nadar School, Noida.
The hands-on tasks such as building, crafting, and designing physical models foster creativity, problem-solving, and the satisfaction of creating something tangible — experiences that AI cannot replace, the principal added.
“We also integrate activities that develop emotional intelligence, empathy, teamwork, and communication skills, helping students form emotional connections — an aspect that AI cannot emulate. Encouraging collaboration in group projects allows students to communicate, negotiate, and work toward shared goals, building teamwork and leadership skills that AI tools cannot replicate,” she added.
Ahmed and other educators are addressing this issue by fostering debates about the pros and cons of AI in learning through empathetic relationships and a focus on creativity, they help students overcome AI-driven hurdles. “We encourage students to take risks, think independently, and learn from mistakes — skills that AI can’t nurture,” Ahmed said.
Another area where AI falls short is in fostering a sense of community and belonging. Teachers create inclusive classroom environments where students collaborate, form friendships, and build social skills. While AI-powered tools may personalise learning experiences, they cannot replicate the emotional bonds that students form with their peers and teachers in a dynamic classroom setting.
