As a lifelong educator who has always embraced education technology (EdTech), I have been interested to see what might happen with education now that we are fully in on the AI revolution.
In my earlier years as an educator, back in the 2000s, we really only used technology for informational purposes or to help students learn about the technology itself. Then, with the rise of tools like Google for Education, GoGuardian, and Turnitin, we saw a bit of a revolution. Teachers could now give real-time feedback on digital work to a full class of kids all at once. We went from using technology just for information or to change the format of a work product to it being a tool to enhance classroom collaboration, feedback cycles, and the newer concept of personalized education.
Now, with the AI tools that are coming to market, we're seeing the next evolution in EdTech. It's a moment where teachers truly become learning coaches because kids are able to create learning through authentic work with an AI agent.
It's a weird moment, but if we embrace it, it will improve the level of education our students receive, and it also stands to make teachers' jobs more effective. How? By letting AI be a coordinating tool not just for students, but also for you. What does that mean? In the early years of EdTech, technology was really just a constructive tool. We had students type papers, play math games, or maybe develop a simple spreadsheet. Over time, we learned how to make technology a collaborative tool by giving real-time feedback, creating shared documents, and videoconferencing. Now, in this moment of AI, we see all of this technology coming together with the power of LLMs to coordinate learning. Simply put, every kid in the room now has a way to progress their learning in addition to the teacher and other students. It has the power to change the world of education.
How do I know? Because I've tested EducAIte. I mimicked as a student working on an essay, solving math problems, and writing a speech. The tool helped me push my thinking about whether or not Abraham Lincoln really was the greatest president in history. It made me consider a variety of reasons Fitzgerald might have used the green light in The Great Gatsby. It made me stop working when it was concerned that I might be discussing sensitive topics, which I did just so I could see how the safety features actually worked.
From the teacher side, I could see all of my student prompts in real time. As soon as a student was flagged for inappropriate language, I was notified. The power of the tool was incredible. I could see how every kid could use the tool to further their learning while the teacher was checking in with students both digitally and in person. Even better - it can do it in multiple languages and using speech-to-text. It makes differentiating so much clearer.
The next EdTech iteration is here, and I, for one, am here for it.
To learn more about how to bring safe AI usage to your schools, contact campbell@educaitelearning.com, or contact us here.