As the new school year begins, the integration of technology, particularly artificial intelligence, into classrooms is a prominent topic. Educators and administrators are actively considering whether teachers and students should leverage AI as a learning tool.

Aneesh Sohoni, CEO of Teach for America, discussed the evolving role of AI in education. He highlighted that educators are carefully weighing the advantages and disadvantages of incorporating AI into their teaching methods.

According to Sohoni, Teach for America is proactively preparing educators by training all incoming teachers on the appropriate and effective use of artificial intelligence in the classroom.

Sohoni stated, “We’ve seen that the early research is showing that educators are able to save upwards of six hours a week and able to focus their time and their energy on doing what thay’re uniquely positioned to do, which is build deep and meaningful relationships with their students and really help students feel like they’re engaged and part of a learning habitat that works for them.”

He emphasized that while AI can be a valuable tool, it should not replace the essential role of educators in fostering student development.

The Importance of Human Connection

“What our students are telling us is that that human engagement…is also importent to their learning.”

According to Sohoni, striking a balance is crucial when integrating artificial intelligence into the classroom.He notes that the human element remains vital to a student’s educational experience.

Sohoni added, “What our students are telling us is that that human engagement – the ability to build a meaningful relationship with another adult – is also important to their learning as well and so we think it’s a matter of doing both.”