Coordinator of the Digital Economy of Dominica, Robert Tonge has provided insight into the importance of using Artificial Intelligence (AI) in schools from elementary to high school education. He was presenting the featured address during the Dominica Association of Teachers (DAT) 17th Biennial Convention recently.
Artificial Intelligence (AI), teaches computers to think and act like humans; making machines smart enough to learn from data, recognize patterns, and solve problems on their own. It also gives computers the ability to learn from experience.
According to Tonge, while AI may automate certain tasks, it also opens new opportunities and roles in education.
“Teachers can focus more on mentorship and emotional support while AI handles the routine task,” he stated.
Tonge also said that AI is for advanced subjects.
“AI can be integrated into various subjects and various grade levels from elementary to high school education,” he noted.
Furthermore, Tonge mentioned some concerns teachers may have about AI.
“Teachers may say that AI will replace them or diminish their role in the classroom,” Tonge said
Another is a lack of understanding. “Some teachers may feel overwhelmed or intimidated by AI technology and its implementation.”
He continued, “Privacy and data security…there may be concerns about how student data is collected, stored, and used by AI systems, so these are all genuine concerns.”
He went on to state that equity and access is another pressing concern.
“Teachers worry about worsening inequalities…if AI tools are not accessible to all students…”, he indicated.
Tonge said there are also concerns that relying too heavily on AI will detract from the personal connection between teachers and students.
“Addressing the fear of students cheating using AI requires a combination of preventative measures and proactive engagement of the students,” he also noted.
Meanwhile, Tonge pointed out some strategies teachers can use including educating students, setting clear expectations, teaching critical thinking, monitoring students’ progress, promoting collaboration, creating a culture of integrity, and providing alternative assessments.
He asserted that to address these concerns, teachers can implement several strategies.
“One will be balanced integration, proactive learning, encourage offline activities, teach digital literacy, and foster self-regulation,” Tonge explained. “By taking this proactive approach to addressing dependency on technology, teachers can empower students to harness the benefits of AI while developing essential skills for lifelong learning and success.”
He said immense potential exists to transform education and empower teachers and students by embracing AI tools and technologies.
“Teachers can create more personalized, engaging, and effective learning experiences that cater to the diverse needs and abilities of every student,” he noted.
Tonge added, “Let’s work together to harness the power of AI to shape the future of education in Dominica and beyond.”
For better or for worse, the AI horse has already left the barn and there is no stopping its high striding gallop.
The curious species of God’s creative genius called mankind will continue to be curious and adventurous while professing claims of scientific discoveries and world changing wonders.
The advent of the Information Technology age also caused a lot of angst and anxiety during its infancy in the mid-twentieth century. At the time, there was great concern that “monstrous” huge Mainframe computers would conspire to rob humans of the ability to think, reason and be intellectually viable.
Seventy-five years on and we again are going through the same fearful gyrations with AI. This time, alarmists are petrified that AI will mark the end of traditional creative learning and thinking. I humbly disagree.
Technology on a whole can certainly be leveraged for nefarious means; however, it’s up to mankind to determine how to manage Science for bad or good.
amazingly, he wants to see the use in school but maybe he is not aware that top institutions are not encouraging it as they want to have the students be more expressive and use their knowledge.
Key word here should be ‘yet’. it’s early, Tonge is probably trying to be proactive.
Robert,
Firstly are you an Electrical Engineer and if not do you have one on your team with an AI concentration?
If yes, then your AI engineer with the working knowledge should be the one making the presentation, explaining the operative framework, connectivity and tangible benefits.
If not…..Then please recruit an AI Engineer to your team if your are serious about Dominica benefiting from AI opportunities and growth.
Otherwise speaking on AI as an untrained eye is doing a huge dis-service to Digital Economy of Dominica.
AL is appropriate not for elementary school. Children at that level need to learn basic educational skills. The introduction of of IT at elementary schools in America and across the world, have slowed down young children’s learning of basic reading and writing.
There is only so much that a person can learn at one time, and since these young children are still learning basic life skills, it’s best not to introduce mandatory AL lessons.
We all know that in their personal lives, through their parents phones, home computers, TV and tablets they will get an introduction to AI.
We live in a time where children are becoming more and more inactive and isolated. They don’t engage in outdoor activities. Too much of this computerized skills at an early age will only make them worse.
PT2,DNO please post this so I can educate the brother.
You literally opened chatgpt and type “Give me 5 points where AI in schools are beneficial.” lol. In that same tab you should type “Give me 5 points of the negative in AI in schools”.
Now don’t get me wrong, I am for the technology, but i’m an adult, I’ve learnt. So if I don’t want to write an application is not cause i don’t know how, It’s just more convenient. The same needs to hold true for a 15 year old, can you WRITE an essay? or do you only know how to ask AI to write it for you.
If I ask you what is 62+141. You most likely gonna pull out your phone, but if you don’t have your phone you still know it’s 203(I think, i did it in my head lol). And that’s what the concern is with AI. It should be embraced, but your surface points is not the whole issue with AI in the classroom. There’s a saying “Who in the kitchen feeling the heat”, you’re not feeling the heat in the classroom but so opinionated on how…
This entire thing reads like Tonge use AI to write it. I’m not aware he used to be a teacher and i’m not aware of him doing a survey with students/teachers to speak on that topic so where is this data from?
Here’s a real concern teachers have. You ask Susan to write an essay of her summer vacation, Susan who can barely spell using words like “succulent”, “misconstrued”, “dimwitted”. How do teachers grade that paper?
“Teachers can focus more on mentorship and emotional support “. I’m confused by this one… So who gonna teach them to carry over the 1? who gonna teach to drop the Y and add ING. Cause AI aint…it’s just gonna give you the answer. Remember when we used to do math homework? and the teacher would be like ?”Show your working” she’d say that, cause she’s aware that the calculate would give you the correct answer but she wants to make sure you know HOW to arrive at it. Which is real concerns with AI and students. We should debate i’ll allow you to use AI on the stage
@Iamanidiot – Excellent points you made. Below, I’ll highlight an excerpt from the following article which I must say is quite telling ESPECIALLY THE LAST SENTENCE:
—-
Bill Gates & Steve Jobs Limited Screen Time for Their Kids – https://crm.org/articles/bill-gates-kids-and-steve-jobs-limited-screen-time
[EXCERPT]: “…Bill Gates is one of the world’s richest man (estimated net worth around 96 billion USD) because of technology. So it makes sense that he would want his children to derive the same benefits from technology that he has. However, the Microsoft founder barred his kids from using technology till they reached a certain age. And he is not the only tech guru to have done so. Steve Jobs did the same.
And many tech executives in Seattle Washington and Silicon Valley implement similar tech restrictions with their children and enroll them in schools that expose them to little to no technology.”
——
Apparently, them fellas know something we don’t.
This is a new technological era that we’re entering. The sooner we get our kids and education system synced to it, the better for us all as a people.
Perhaps Tonge should focus on the basisc of education, instead of the steady stream of pie in the sky talk they forever engage in.
Focus on tasks and goals that are achievable rather than all this talk that sounds good, but in the end goes nowhere.
Every nonesene you all see on to just come repeat it in dca
You mean the labour appointed teachers lack so much intelligence that you have to bring some artificial ones in ?
Wow, so Robert Tonge is an expert on AI. with his prescription “Let’s work together to harness the power of AI to shape the future of education in Dominica and beyond.” Does Robert Tonge get a monthly salary from the Government being Coordinator of the Digital Economy of Dominica, lol.
Will AI make students as well as teachers aware of the negative effects of corruption, illegal acts that harm all of Society and ways to advocate against such evils?