Increased Doubt Among Americans Regarding AI Integration in Primary and Secondary Education, Survey Reveals
In recent years, the integration of artificial intelligence (AI) into education has been a topic of interest and controversy. The US government and education technology companies are pushing for its adoption, with a focus on teacher training, as President Donald Trump signed an executive order in April aiming to integrate AI across K-12 education. The U.S. Department of Education announced in July that advancing AI will be a funding priority in upcoming grants.
However, a new poll on American attitudes toward public education, conducted by the Wason Center for Civic Leadership at Christopher Newport University, shows a decline in support for some popular applications of AI in K-12 schools. For instance, support for teachers using AI to prepare lesson plans dropped to 49% this year, down from 62% last year.
Jonathan E. Collins, an assistant professor of political science and education at Teachers College, Columbia University, explains that every negative headline about AI running amok can set back public opinion. He notes that many respondents' feelings on the use of AI in education are not strong, with large shares of responses falling into the "support" or "oppose" categories versus "strongly" supporting or opposing these cases.
The poll also found that Americans especially soured on the idea of teachers using AI to prepare lesson plans. Parents, in particular, are concerned about student data privacy in relation to AI use in schools. Nearly 7 in 10 parent respondents do not support giving AI software access to students' grades, assessment data, or other personal information.
On the other hand, AI is useful for increasing non-labor-based productivity, such as analyzing data, organizing thoughts, or creating images. Education technology companies are investing heavily in AI-powered tools, including AI teacher assistants and adaptive student tutoring tools. Tutoring is still the most widely accepted use of AI in schools, with 60% supporting interactive AI tutoring tools.
The integration of AI in education could lead to uneven implementation, potentially benefiting students from wealthier households. This is a concern that needs to be addressed as the technology continues to advance.
Recently, ChatGPT released a new "study mode" feature over the summer that is designed to coach users through steps to find the answer, instead of simply giving it. This shift towards more interactive and supportive AI tools may help alleviate some of the concerns about the technology's potential negative impacts.
In conclusion, while there are concerns about the use of AI in education, particularly in relation to student data privacy and uneven implementation, the technology also holds promise for increasing productivity and providing interactive learning experiences. As the adoption of AI continues to grow, it will be important to address these concerns and ensure that the technology is used in a way that benefits all students.
