Image from Science - American Association for the Advancement of Science

“Yung mga grumaduate sa online classes, feeling ko ‘di sila maaasahan.” A user commented under a news video of two UP Diliman students being accused of using an AI tool for a school requirement. The statement implies that Generation Z’s reliance on technology challenges them in maintaining academic integrity and acquiring practical skills. However, electronic learning or e-Learning and unconventional tools have been used in education prior to my generation.   

Here’s a brief history of e-Learning and AI tools, according to eFront Blog:

1763 - Thomas Bayes developed a decision-making technique by recognizing patterns which became the inspiration of machines showing human intelligence. 

1924 - Sidney Pressey, a professor invented an apparatus that allows students to test their knowledge. 

1954 - A teaching machine which guides students through a lesson was invented.

1966 - Computer-aided instructions by Stanford University professors aid in teaching reading and Math. 

1990s - Academic institutions developed online courses also called as distance learning for students who aren’t able to study onsite due to various reasons such as geographical, physical, and time restrictions.

The significance of AI in education becomes clearer.

In the early 2000s, virtual education, with the help of AI tools, became more popular due to its adaptation in school curriculums as well as its efficiency outside the physical learning space. With that, I’d like to share important AI innovations in the 2010s as reported by Inteligenz. Smart home technology and virtual assistants aid students in easier learning processes. Deep learning is also prevalent. Under this is the text generation AI, which plays an important role in the case of the two UP Diliman students I mentioned earlier. It allows anyone, regardless of age and ability, to become writers by simply reading, analyzing, correcting, and providing words and grammar. The occurrence of the COVID-19 pandemic urged a more detailed and useful virtual learning environment, as the virus hinders the public from physical interaction (Pantelimon, 2021). With this phenomena, tools that directly aid students in their academic requirements were invented and became popular, challenging the academic integrity of people who use it to their own advantage. Examples of these tools include ChatGPT, which provides a whole block of text via prompts given, Grammarly which corrects grammatical errors, and Photomath which answers math problems.

As artificial intelligence becomes more adapted in learning institutions, it also challenges the education system. Some may argue that the virtual tools invented and used by Gen Z students hinder them from acquiring knowledge and skills, but we should see this in a fair manner. We should recognize the occurrence of AI in academia since the 19th century and take importance of how the current pandemic affected the chances of students to learn from traditional methods. From the invention of the testing machine to the popularity of ChatGPT, AI has always posed itself as a neutral and helpful assistant, developed by people, made for the people. May this also serve as a reminder that technological advancement comes with great responsibility. As a community, we are invited to be more cautious of our roles and revise our education system. UNESCO believes that AI would be a big help in solving educational problems, but I personally believe that solving the problem in access to education is as important as the threat of AI tools to academic integrity.