The world has changed so much since we were in school. For people like me, computers were around, but there were years between elementary school and college during which our homework required us to physically travel to a library or bookstore, procure a physical book, and complete an assignment based on the information in it. Today, the answers to almost anything can be found with a few key strokes and a click.
And if you thought things couldn’t get any easier for today's kids, new digital tools that use artificial intelligence are doing everything from explaining tough concepts to writing entire essays. While some might consider using AI a form of cheating, others believe these tools represent what learning looks like in the 21st century.
More from CafeMom: Why Some Parents & Teachers Are Taking a Stand Against Homework
Schools aren't fighting AI.
Cassandra, a research entity at technology and data company Big Village that delves into trends for millennials, Gen Z, and Gen Alphas, calls AI writing tools like ChatGPT, Google Bard, and Bing, "study companions" or homework helpers.
According to the newsletter, Cassandra Daily, these digital assistants are being widely used by today's students. A recent study found that 89% of a sampling of 1,000 college students are using some form of AI to complete their assignments.
With percentages this high, some schools have decided to embrace AI’s inevitable reach and have begun using it in classrooms. Cassandra even suggests a few AI learning tools that you can help your own kids use at home, with the goal of enhancing their learning experiences.
More from CafeMom: The 9 Emotional Stages of Helping Your Kids With Homework
Some tools learn student patterns to better assist them.
One Silicon Valley school is encouraging its elementary-age students to use Khanmigo, reported The Washington Post. Instead of simply spitting out the answer to a math problem, this tool acts as a tutor, helping the child learn the process of finding the right answer.
For English, it asks questions to encourage students to think more deeply about what they’re reading. The tool will eventually be able to remember students’ patterns and provide customized lessons and assessments.
Other tools can be helpful for adults attempting to explain difficult concepts to children.
There’s also Explain Like I’m 5, which provides various levels of information about complex subjects. It uses language algorithms and machine learning to analyze complex questions and provide clear answers. The site might work perfectly the next time your curious child asks you something complex like, "How do microwaves work?"
Teachers can use it in the classroom for their exceptionally curious students as well. And if answers from ELI5 show up in essays, it will reportedly be easy to track down the original source.
Homework AI allows students to scan documents for easier learning.
Lastly, there’s Homework AI. This application is designed to help students get through any type of homework assignment. Students can use the app’s optical character recognition feature to scan documents, books, and other written material, Cassandra Daily reports. The app also provides study tips and can formulate questions to test a student to determine knowledge gaps and which areas of study require improvement.
Like so much of what has occurred in our world over the last several decades, the idea of AI may seem intimidating or even scary at first. But it's here and people are using it. Like so many other technological advances, as parents, we can either try to shelter our children from AI or teach them how to use it responsibly. Either way, it's becoming clear that it will definitely be a part of the way future generations learn from here on out.
