Update – Due to the recent development of the tragic death of this student that resulted from his interaction with Character.AI, I want to state that this blog post does not condone the use of Character.AI and I represent in this blog how important guard rails are for students.
Teacher-Created Chatbots – Could it be Helpful in the Near Future?
As an educational leader in both instructional technology and social studies, I’m fascinated by emerging technologies like Character.ai, an advanced neural network chatbot. Still under development, tools like these hint at opportunities for enhancing and expanding education. Yet, let’s not forget that our primary goal should always be empowering lives with wisdom and care. We must ensure that technology is harnessed to improve human-centered education.
Recently, I found myself engrossed in Alyson Klein’s article in Edweek (Klein, 2023), where she dives deep into this topic. I had the honor to share my thoughts with her on how AI tools can be used for teaching in her article a few days earlier, and how to apply them without them becoming the primary source of knowledge, especially for subjects like history.
While I expressed my concerns that these bots might reflect the biases of their creators, I also acknowledged their potential for enriching the educational landscape, particularly in terms of showcasing how AI itself works.
Taking my words to heart, I decided to venture into creating a chatbot myself. The result is “Minerclass Beta,” an experimental chatbot designed to provide quick feedback and advice to students, engage them with interactive content, and share resources for continued learning outside the classroom. It can be accessed here. I thought it would be insightful to share my thoughts and experiences of crafting this chatbot and to weigh its uses for K-12 educators.
AI certainly holds promise. It could assist teachers by providing rapid feedback, making learning more interactive, and suggesting resources tailored to learners’ needs. Over time, as algorithms become better attuned to learners’ needs, their recommendations could further complement the work of teachers.
However, the promise of AI can only be realized if we shape its trajectory with intention. It must not replace the importance of human connections; instead, it should free teachers to focus on cultivating relationships, nurturing purpose, and championing each student’s unique growth. Remember, our shared mission is harnessing AI for a human-centered education. AI tools can extend our reach but can never replace wisdom, empathy, and guidance born of lived experiences.
While the rapid pace of technological advancements makes the notion of virtual tutors or “intellectual thought partners” a plausible reality, we must remember that education is about nurturing living, breathing hearts and minds, not data alone. No algorithm can fulfill roles of counselor, mentor, or coach – or understand individuals as profoundly as those who walk beside them. We must continuously advocate for helping humanity improve teaching and learning, which outshines any technology we might build.
Future Potential Educator Uses for Teacher-Created Chatbots
What are some ways a teacher-created chatbot might help students?
- Provide quick feedback and answers to common questions. A chatbot could respond to students’ questions about course topics, assignments, deadlines, etc. This could reduce the time teachers spend responding to routine questions and free them up for more complex or personal interactions.
- Share resources for learning. A chatbot could point students to helpful resources for a lesson or unit, such as videos, interactive web tools, readings, podcasts or games. Teachers could curate resources to align with their curriculum and learning objectives.
- Deliver mini-lessons or learning activities. A chatbot could guide students through interactive lessons, simulations, scenarios or problem-solving activities related to course topics. These bots would need to be thoughtfully designed by teachers with built-in feedback and guidance.
- Reinforce key concepts. A chatbot could help students review and practice what they’ve learned through flashcards, quizzing, re-explaining ideas or revisiting course materials in a low-pressure way. These types of chatbots require a strong understanding of students’ learning needs which teachers are uniquely equipped to develop.
- Provide supportive guidance. With teachers’ input, a chatbot could encourage students by acknowledging their progress, nominating them for achievements, offering growth mindset messages or scheduling check-ins. While not able to replicate human relationships, bots can deliver messages crafted with an educator’s spirit of support.
- Personalize to students’ needs. Over time, as a chatbot interacts with students, it can learn their interests, strengths, challenges, preferences and goals. Teachers would shape how data is collected and used to guide the bot in providing more tailored support and recommendations for each student. But human connection should remain central.
The key is that teachers drive how any AI tool, including chatbots, is applied to meet students’ needs. With teachers’ wisdom, expertise and care, these tools can enhance support for learners while freeing up time for the kinds of nurturing interactions technology alone can never replicate. But we must prioritize putting humanity at the center of education. Our role is cultivating heart, mind and purpose. In that work, we shape progress together.
Wrapping Up on Teacher-Created Chatbots
Our journey toward progress demands nuance, patience, and care. It requires a clear vision of each child reaching their potential and an unwavering belief in the teacher as the champion of their growth. The use of AI should aim to elevate our work, enabling us to make strides in ways we’ve never done before, while keeping the learner’s development close to heart.
I invite you to share your perspectives on crafting technology’s role in education, with the primary goal of human progress. Together, we can shape the future by awakening the leaders of tomorrow today. Your contribution will play a crucial role in ensuring we choose the path that puts learners first.
References:
Klein, A. (2023, June 09). Chatbots That Impersonate Famous Figures: Should Teachers Use Them or Steer Clear? Education Week. https://www.edweek.org/technology/chatbots-that-impersonate-famous-figures-should-teachers-use-them-or-steer-clear/