AI (Arangkada Ibriwan!): The Responsibility of DepEd and Schools for Facilitating Quality Learning and Teaching in the Age of Generative AI. 

If a student were asked if they’ve ever used GenAI for academic purposes, the majority of them would have probably said yes (Nam, 2023). Whether it’s to rush a procrastinated activity or to find ideas for a creative output, students all across the world have started to utilize Generative Artifical Intellegence (GAI) for everyday use. 

The usage of GAI dates all the way back to 1950, when computer scientists started developing machine learning, or the exploration of algorithms and given datasets in order to produce new data! The GAI one uses now, usually featured in famous sites such as Chat-GPT, was first developed in 2018. 

This was groundbreaking as it gave AI the ability to produce coherent and accurate thoughts in both visual and text form. 

The AI has a mind of its own and is able to adjust based on the user’s context, culture, and needs. Its ability to scour billions of sources of information allows it to speak any language, share any information, and even give personal advice, all in seconds! Because of this, this kind of technology has especially been used in schools, making both students' and teachers’ workloads lighter and easier. With one click, one can produce an informative essay or a lesson plan in seconds.

In the context of the Philippines, AI is used in more than just education, but in agriculture, research, and national development as well. However, GAI poses a big problem in the education sector as it can contribute to the deterioration of education, both in teaching and learning. With full reliance on GAI without citing sources, fact-checking, and proofreading, it can promote laziness and desultory works that are not conducive to learning. For a country that ranks one of the lowest in mathematics and reading comprehension, and who constantly faces issues of low-quality teaching, GAI could pose more of a hazard than a tool (Bautista, 2023).

With this, the Department of Education and schools nationwide should start integrating and accepting the present of GAI in students’ and teachers’ lives. Banning GAI is simply ineffective and hard to track. Instead, GAI should be embraced and accepted with clear boundaries.  

When integrating generative AI into educational environments, it is crucial to define clear roles for both instructors and students. Instructors play essential roles as curriculum designers, facilitators, quality controllers, and assessment designers. They ensure that AI tools align with learning objectives, guide students in their usage, monitor output accuracy, and design assessments that evaluate understanding. On the other hand, students must serve as critical thinkers and ethical users, engaging with AI tools to actively explore concepts, analyze generated content, produce original works, and avoid plagiarism.

To make the most of generative AI, schools should commit to providing upskilling workshops for teachers to optimize and enhance their careers through GAI. They should also invest in incorporating GAI into subjects such as MIL and address its usage in both student and teacher handbooks and guidelines. The Department of Education should also provide funding for public schools in this endeavor to help students become more literate in GAI and its ethical use.

Although tempting to simply ban the use of GAI in schools to remove the need to amend traditional rules and structures, and integrate and adapt new learnings, this will prove ineffective for Filipino students and teachers. 

Banning AI is ineffective as students will always find a way to be able to use it secretly despite it’s prohibition. Without the help of schools, the unaided usage of GAI may result in cases of plagiarism, irresponsible use of technology, and misinformation. For teachers, not using GAI may entail being “left behind” in the ever advancing world. The outdated guidelines on how teachers should instruct may worsen the education quality in the country. The key is finding a balance between technology and human interaction to find the “sweet spot” in effective education. 

Moving forward and embracing technological advancements with ethics and morals at its core in education centers will create a more informed studentry and a brighter future. 

In order to improve education, we need to get with the times and update our educational curriculum based on what’s most necessary. With GAI’s use continuing, the education sector has a responsibility of equipping students and teachers with the right tools to properly navigate and utilize this technology. 

One must remember however that the human contact and experience in the learning process cannot be fully replaced by GAI, despite the fact that it can offer insightful analysis. Consequently, it is imperative that educators continue to play a proactive role in the classroom, leveraging Generative AI as a tool to improve their pedagogical approaches and offer students tailored learning opportunities.

Additionally, it's critical that educational institutions make sure Generative AI is trained to identify and correct biases and inequality in the classroom. 

Let's conclude up by saying that incorporating generative AI into the classroom can help students learn more effectively. Nonetheless, it is crucial that the Department of Education and educational institutions establish distinct responsibilities for both teachers and students.