With the advent of artificial intelligence, teachers will be mentors rather than lecturers

With the introduction of artificial intelligence (AI) into the sphere of education, teachers will rather be mentors than lecturers, commented Krasimir Stoev, a specialist in software technology training, who was a lecturer at a seminar for directors and teachers from Varna on how to work with Chat GPT, to the Bulgarian News Agency (BTA). The main organizer of the meeting was the Center for Creative Learning in partnership with the Regional Education Administration in the seaside city.

Artificial intelligence is an assistant – to both teachers and students, whether it is used for good or harm depends on the user, Stoev pointed out. According to him, the major fears that AI will take over the world are not justified, as it is not an autonomous entity and cannot provide unsolicited content. Teachers should encourage and guide the use of artificial intelligence so that students can receive the best, Stoev added. He clarified that a few days ago the Ministry of Education has issued guidelines to promote the use of AI in the educational system, which will be distributed to all directors and teachers. Stoev himself participated in the working group that developed the guidelines and specified that they envisage teachers using AI to generate content, create tasks, tests, as well as for their assessment. This will ease the enormous daily burden that prevents teachers from paying individual attention to their students, Stoev further said.

Asked how teachers will “catch” children if their homework is done by AI, especially in exact sciences, the expert indicated that it is necessary to change the method of assessment. In the new reality, approaches must change, and the goal of teachers should not be to see correctly solved tasks but properly developed skills because tasks are actually a means to enhance children’s expertise, Stoev pointed out. He was categorical that the modern digital generation should be provided with information in an adequate manner. Stoev added that as a teacher, he wanted AI to generate a lesson on biology about bees for him and received a narrative about how insects have a built-in GPS system and thus find hives, how they tag and like colors and aromas. Artificial intelligence uses words that are understandable and interesting to young people, and every teacher can take advantage of this, explained the expert. He added that AI capabilities can be used for every subject, including physical education and drawing.

According to Stoev, in the future, teachers will have the task of giving their students so-called soft skills – passing on experience, valuable advice, motivating and encouraging them, teaching them discipline. The expert’s position was that AI could be actively used by children after the 5th grade, by which time they should develop skills for debating and presenting their opinions with arguments. However, there are no obstacles for teachers to be good users of AI, even those in kindergartens, to generate games, Stoev concluded.