Artificial Intelligence in Education

Artificial intelligence is a significant development in education because of its potential to improve student learning. AI improves learning by using machines to mimic human abilities to educate. The areas that are being developed to implement AI in education include helping students with intellectual disabilities, ethical use of artificial intelligence, and integrated hardware/software in school curricula.

The need to properly educate students with intellectual disabilities is continuous. Artificial intelligence is a tool that can assist with student needs by “exploring large amounts data with high complexity” and using an “algorithm to discover the optimal plan” “for a student.” (Khabart et al., 2021, para. 8) The current research is attempting to create “virtual therapists” through the gathering of distinct data. (Khabart et al., 2020, para. 8) The issue with the implementation of proper use of AI is the gap of universal connections between health and education needs that are needed to implement a sufficient educational program to help students with an ID. Once this gap is realized than an AI program can be developed to properly serve students with an intellectual disability in education. (Khabart et al., 2021)

The advancement of artificial intelligence in education has brought up ethical issues. Many of the companies responsible for AI development are using ethical boards that fall short of protecting the user. Some of the major companies that are responsible include Amazon, IBM, Google, and Microsoft. (Huang et al., 2021, p. 359) Many types of these companies are failing to include diverse groups on their ethical boards. Correspondingly, the connection of these companies to ethics in education can be seen in library information science and with librarians because these entities are responsible for protecting the personal data of students. To protect the student's personal information, librarians and companies must be able to recognize and prevent unauthorized consent. And the way for librarians to protect student information is to be educated about ethical boundaries and codes of ethics (Huang et al., 2021).

The use of software that integrates entertainment and education is believed to improve student learning. One such software is called “Breedbot,” which is a hardware/software system that integrates robotics and software that can be used in a school’s curricula. Examples of the use of this software are “Lego MindStorm Kit,” “Surveyor,” and Tiger Electronics Hasbro’s “Furby.” The system allows students to create “robot behaviors in a digital environment that can be downloaded and tested on real robots.” (Miglino et al., 2008, para. 4) In a study of two separate groups, students were given a lesson on a Darwinian evolutionary theory using a control group that did not use “Breedbot” software and one that did use the program. The results showed that the “Breedbot” group received higher scores (Miglino et al., 2008).

Huang, C., Samek, T., & Shiri, A. (2021). AI and Ethics: Ethical and Educational Perspectives for LIS. Journal of Education for Library & Information Science, 62(4), 351–365. https://doi-org.ezproxy.shsu.edu/10.3138/jelis-62-4-2020-0106

Kharbat, F. F., Alshawabkeh, A., & Woolsey, M. L. (2021). Identifying gaps in using artificial intelligence to support students with intellectual disabilities from education and health perspectives. Aslib Journal of Information Management, 73(1), 101–128. https://doi-org.ezproxy.shsu.edu/10.1108/AJIM-02-2020-0054

Miglino, O., Gigliotta, O., Ponticorvo, M., & Nolfi, S. (2008). Breedbot: an evolutionary robotics application in digital content. Electronic Library, 26(3), 363–373. https://doi-org.ezproxy.shsu.edu/10.1108/02640470810879509