AI beyond its hype in education
Even many parents feel overwhelmed by the rapid pace of AI development in both educational settings and workplaces, although they may find themselves facing entirely new and complex decisions related to their children's education
Published: 03:04 PM,Apr 29,2025 | EDITED : 07:04 PM,Apr 29,2025
There is no longer any doubt that artificial intelligence, or its commonly used abbreviation, AI, is connected to every aspect of our lives. When it comes to education, this is not something you need to imagine, but a reality that is transforming both teaching and learning.
Unlike traditional classrooms, which often struggle to accommodate students' diverse learning paces and styles, AI-powered educational tools help students enhance their learning experiences, personalise instruction and automate their tasks.
For educators, these tools assist them in assessing and monitoring students, as well as designing more flexible learning plans. In other words, they enable educators to focus on what matters most - teaching and mentoring.
Even many parents feel overwhelmed by the rapid pace of AI development in both educational settings and workplaces, although they may find themselves facing entirely new and complex decisions related to their children's education.
However, a mix of optimism, curiosity and concern still prevails regarding AI integration in schools. While these learning tools allow students to progress at their own pace and promote inclusivity by accommodating diverse needs, such as assistive technologies and round-the-clock academic support, over-reliance on them can lead to digital fatigue, stress and anxiety.
'With the growing dependence on AI for learning, communication and entertainment, students are exposed to digital environments that might lead to negative consequences for their overall well-being,' says a report by Blanka Klimova and Marcel Pikhart published in Frontiers.
A global survey from education company McGraw Hill suggests that while AI is becoming more common in classrooms, most educators do not believe it will help solve their most pressing challenges, particularly those related to student well-being.
'For the second year in a row, educators worldwide and across education levels are saying the most significant obstacles they and their students are facing extend beyond the classroom,' said Simon Allen, CEO of McGraw Hill.
The survey report found AI’s role in supporting social skill development and addressing mental health was seen as minimal, revealing a gap between the technology’s capabilities and the core needs reported by educators.
'That's why it's crucial that we continue to listen to what educators are saying so we can identify meaningful solutions to empower their work and address these ongoing challenges,' he said.
The McGraw Hill Global Education Insights Report includes opinions from over 1,000 K-12 and higher educators in 19 countries, including the US, Canada, Northern Europe, Latin America, Asia and the Middle East.
The survey also gathered responses from more than 1,300 K-12 and higher education educators across 19 countries. The top challenges cited include factors outside of school at 52 per cent, and student mental or behavioural health at 45 per cent. However, most do not seem to be reallocating this time to tasks involving social-emotional or student engagement support.
HolonIQ, a global edtech company, projects the global market for AI in education to reach $6 billion by the year 2025. Additionally, the average growth between 2020 and 2025 will see an increase with a growth rate of 47 per cent. 'These statistics indicate that it is certain AI will penetrate deeper into the global education economy, thus bringing more changes,' points out HolonIQ.
This means, artificial intelligence is here to stay, and its impact on the field of education will only grow as it continues to develop. Indeed, AI can be used to inspire and foster creativity, provide multiple perspectives, generate and enhance lesson plans, and stimulate imaginations.
It’s not the technology that matters - it’s what we do with it. We need to find out how best they can serve human ambitions, and students should play a part in that process.
Samuel Kutty
The writer is a freelance journalist and author who worked in Oman and India
Unlike traditional classrooms, which often struggle to accommodate students' diverse learning paces and styles, AI-powered educational tools help students enhance their learning experiences, personalise instruction and automate their tasks.
For educators, these tools assist them in assessing and monitoring students, as well as designing more flexible learning plans. In other words, they enable educators to focus on what matters most - teaching and mentoring.
Even many parents feel overwhelmed by the rapid pace of AI development in both educational settings and workplaces, although they may find themselves facing entirely new and complex decisions related to their children's education.
However, a mix of optimism, curiosity and concern still prevails regarding AI integration in schools. While these learning tools allow students to progress at their own pace and promote inclusivity by accommodating diverse needs, such as assistive technologies and round-the-clock academic support, over-reliance on them can lead to digital fatigue, stress and anxiety.
'With the growing dependence on AI for learning, communication and entertainment, students are exposed to digital environments that might lead to negative consequences for their overall well-being,' says a report by Blanka Klimova and Marcel Pikhart published in Frontiers.
A global survey from education company McGraw Hill suggests that while AI is becoming more common in classrooms, most educators do not believe it will help solve their most pressing challenges, particularly those related to student well-being.
'For the second year in a row, educators worldwide and across education levels are saying the most significant obstacles they and their students are facing extend beyond the classroom,' said Simon Allen, CEO of McGraw Hill.
The survey report found AI’s role in supporting social skill development and addressing mental health was seen as minimal, revealing a gap between the technology’s capabilities and the core needs reported by educators.
'That's why it's crucial that we continue to listen to what educators are saying so we can identify meaningful solutions to empower their work and address these ongoing challenges,' he said.
The McGraw Hill Global Education Insights Report includes opinions from over 1,000 K-12 and higher educators in 19 countries, including the US, Canada, Northern Europe, Latin America, Asia and the Middle East.
The survey also gathered responses from more than 1,300 K-12 and higher education educators across 19 countries. The top challenges cited include factors outside of school at 52 per cent, and student mental or behavioural health at 45 per cent. However, most do not seem to be reallocating this time to tasks involving social-emotional or student engagement support.
HolonIQ, a global edtech company, projects the global market for AI in education to reach $6 billion by the year 2025. Additionally, the average growth between 2020 and 2025 will see an increase with a growth rate of 47 per cent. 'These statistics indicate that it is certain AI will penetrate deeper into the global education economy, thus bringing more changes,' points out HolonIQ.
This means, artificial intelligence is here to stay, and its impact on the field of education will only grow as it continues to develop. Indeed, AI can be used to inspire and foster creativity, provide multiple perspectives, generate and enhance lesson plans, and stimulate imaginations.
It’s not the technology that matters - it’s what we do with it. We need to find out how best they can serve human ambitions, and students should play a part in that process.
Samuel Kutty
The writer is a freelance journalist and author who worked in Oman and India