Overview
Artificial Intelligence (AI) is rapidly advancing, Its effects on various sectors, including education, business, military, and society at large, will be significant worldwide. This article delves into AI’s influence on education, with a specific focus on its integration into Chess in Education (CIE).
Within the educational sphere, guidance from government organizations such as UNESCO, the European Union, and the US Department of Education offer guides to educational policy development. The preceding links can serve as a starting point for understanding the complex array of opportunities, challenges, and risks AI presents for educators.
The information and views offered here are based on this guidance as well as our experience in training hundreds of teachers in chess in education programs.
Generative Artificial Intelligence
Generative AI, among all AI innovations, has garnered significant public interest.
UNESCO reports, “Publicly available generative AI (GenAI) tools are rapidly emerging, and the release of iterative versions is outpacing the adaptation of national regulatory frameworks. The absence of national regulations on GenAI in most countries leaves the data privacy of users unprotected and educational institutions largely unprepared to validate the tools.”
Link to UNESCO’s Guidance for Generative AI in Education and Research.
Randi Weingarten, President American Federation of Teachers, mirrors UNESCO’s sentiments in an article titled “AI is a) Powerful, b) Perilous, or c) Both.”
UNESCO states, “Emerging publicly available generative AI (GenAI) tools are rapidly evolving. Yet, the development of national regulatory frameworks lags behind. This lack of national regulations leaves data privacy vulnerable and educational institutions ill-equipped to validate these tools.”
AI Technology Shifts
AI promises two broad shifts in the technology used today for education in general and CIE specifically:
- Transitioning from merely capturing data to detecting patterns in data
- Evolving from merely offering instructional resources to making automated decisions about teaching and learning processes.
For instance, chess training tools like ChessKid and Think Like a King record data on student chess performance. This data helps instructors tailor lessons and monitor individual student progress. AI aims to streamline this customization. Especially for instructors with limited chess knowledge, AI promises to simplify the process of providing varied instruction to students with diverse chess abilities.
Dedicated chess engines have been accessible for some time. Future innovations are anticipated that will allow teachers and students to access chess engine functions in new and creative ways. Current AI can, for instance, send a snapshot of a chess game position to a chess engine and receive back expert commentary on the position. Some content generators like Google’s Bard and ChatGPT4.0 are now integrating chess capabilities.
Strategies for AI Use in Education
“We envision a technology-enhanced future more like an electric bike and less like robot vacuums. On an electric bike, the human is fully aware and fully in control, but their burden is less, and their effort is multiplied by a complementary technological enhancement.”
Office of Educational Technology, US Department of Education
The US Office of Educational Technology provides the following recommendations for the future incorporation of AI into Education.
Humans in the Loop – We reject the notion of AI as replacing teachers. Teachers and
other people need to be “in the loop” whenever AI is applied in order to notice patterns and automate
educational processes. We call upon all constituents to adopt Humans-in-the-Loop as a key criteria.
Align AI Models to a Shared Vision for Education – The figure to the right describes the important qualities of AI models for education leaders to consider.
Design Using Modern Learning Principles –
Prioritize Strengthening Trust – Building trust in GenAI is possible. GenAI can only work when it is trusted. Building trust requires establishing criteria for the trustworthiness of emerging educational technologies within conferences and professional organizations that bring together educators, innovators, researchers, and policymakers.
Inform and Involve Educators – Educator instructions must go beyond receiving notice and explanation of the use of AI. Educational leaders must inform and involve educational constituents so they are prepared to investigate how and when GenAI fits specific teaching and learning needs, and what risks may rise. Addressing data privacy is important, but strengthening trust requires more than data privacy. Educators need AI systems that can be inspected and explained. They must include guidance on how humans can override recommendations generated using AI.
Develop Education-specific Guidelines and Guardrails – Data privacy and controls on content quality are essential.
Generative AI in Chess Education: A Teacher’s Perspective
As AI and its educational policies are still evolving, teachers must exercise discernment when using GenAI in classrooms. For instance, while chatbots can craft lesson plans, they aren’t infallible. They can be subject to hallucinations such as making up facts and citing non-existent sources. It’s essential to verify the facts and citations in AI-generated content.
As a practical matter, institutional policies may also limit the use of AI tools in classrooms. This leads to the necessity for use of AI tools at home.
Worldwide there are signs that educational institutions are not paying sufficient attention to the risks of AI. In June 2023, UNESCO warned that the use of Generative AI in schools is being rolled out at too rapid a pace. As a result there is a troubling lack of public scrutiny, checks, or regulations. The Organization released a paper revealing that publishing a new textbook requires more authorizations than the use of GenAI tools in the classroom. As an interesting aside, UNESCO’s Guidance recommends introducing students to generative AI tools only after the age of 13.
Current Developments
The American Federation of Teachers (AFT) isn’t waiting for a trickle-down solution from government or education bureaucracies. In October 2023, AFT’s Weingarten announced a program that can help students develop critical thinking and analytical tools, including discerning facts from falsehoods. The program uses GPTZero, a leading AI identification platform, and NewsGuard, an anti-misinformation tool. It is part of AFT’s campaign titled “Real Solutions for Kids and Communities”.
Considering UNESCO’s guidelines, AFT likely targets middle and high school students. For younger students, CIE equips them with essential critical thinking skills beneficial in their daily lives, laying the groundwork for understanding these skills’ societal implications.
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