And by searching, we discover that some, for some time now, saw the change and got to work preventing the future, that is, our present. This is the case of Bárbara Serrano, visionary and CEO of Dragon American School and spearhead of Turing Dream who invites us to reconsider the role of AI in the classroom.
Since April 2023, his pioneering work with students ages 13 to 18 has challenged the narrative of fear and restriction, revealing an alternative truth: “AI, because far from being an obstacle, is a ladder to previously unattainable heights of knowledge,” he says.
Serrano articulates a penetrating criticism against the current of prohibition that invades the educational field. Through his experience, he demonstrates how AI, specifically ChatGPT, has served as a catalyst for his students' creativity and critical thinking. This technology, far from atrophying the young mind, has proven to be a scaffolding on which more complex and refined reasoning structures are built.
The ban, Serrano argues, is not only ineffective but counterproductive: “Preventing access to these tools does not prevent their use, it simply deprives students of the guidance necessary to explore their potential and limitations. This position is as unsustainable as it would have been to try to ban Google in its beginnings, a tool that, like AI today, promised to radically transform access to knowledge,” says Barbara. She also dares to delve into the underlying fear that encourages some to call for a ban: “The fear of professional obsolescence.” However, she presents a brave and forward-looking alternative: “Know, master and ally with AI to enhance teaching and learning,” she highlights.
His criticism extends to the hypocrisy of those who are alarmed by AI while they have remained silent in the face of the real dangers that have stalked young people for almost a decade: “The predatory algorithms of social networks. These have proven to be destructive for the mental health and well-being of adolescents, a concern long ignored by those who now establish themselves as defenders of youth in the face of AI,” says Serrano. In her struggle, she has not only observed academic improvements, but also an increase in the students' self-esteem: “And that students find in AI a tireless and non-critical interlocutor. This relationship with technology, far from dehumanizing, offers a safe space for error and learning, an invaluable quality in education.”
In conclusion, Bárbara Serrano's experience with AI displays a rich and multifaceted tapestry, where fears and resistance are contrasted with evidence of a liberating and transformative potential. AI, properly understood and applied, promises to not only complement but elevate education to new horizons of excellence and humanism.
Listening to statements from a person like Bárbara Serrano who bases the training of her school's students on AI is to open your eyes, even if you don't want to, to an absolute reality.
A survey was recently conducted on the use of AI. And the result could be described as: “For color tastes”.
Although it is not known what changes AI can drive, adults believe that this technology will be important for their children. 61% of parents think it will have a positive effect on their children's future work; 54% in the case of teachers according to a statement from Empatallados.com. “A platform for fathers and mothers that was born because we think that our children need us to accompany them in the digital world as well. Technology is here to stay, so let's take advantage of it as another opportunity to educate.”
“The data from the study suggest that parents do not have a clear opinion regarding the use of AI by their children, but they do have the perception that it will be important for their future. As happened a few years ago with the rise of the smartphone, in the face of initial logical ignorance and a possible fear of novelty, the need arises to help parents better understand the new reality. And the importance of giving them resources so that they can accompany and educate their children in the responsible use of AI, screens and other digital technologies,” adds María José Abad, editor of Empantallados.com, a platform to help parents to educate their children on digital issues.
AI, a new technological reality that interests society.
The study confirms a high interest in AI among parents, teachers and students. Despite being a technology available for a short time, 69% of parents, 73% of teachers and 82% of students have already used it and want to continue learning more about AI. This is what 78% of parents, 82% of teachers and 63% of students say. This is a transversal interest. In all groups, the use of AI on some occasions is above 50%. It is 60% among parents who have not completed university studies and 76% among those who have. (Source Empantallados.com)
“The high data on first use of AI and interest in knowing more are revealing. Taking into account that ChatGPT was launched on the market in November 2022, the moment from which AI became popular, they suggest a rapid level of adoption. Furthermore, it is a novelty that can transform the activity of all sectors. The emergence of AI seems to bring together the necessary elements to be more than just another technological advance; At a sociological level, it could be the leap towards a new paradigm,” says Narciso Michavila, president of GAD3.