How AI Could Reduce Inequality in Education
Language & Education
Exercise 1
Vocabulary
Repeat each word, definition, and example sentence after your tutor.
leveler
Noun
ˈlevələr
a situation or activity in which differences in things such as class, age, or ability are not important
Soccer has always been a great leveler.
viable
Adjective
ˈvaɪəbəl
capable of being successful
Many restaurants closed down during the pandemic because they were no longer financially viable.
upheaval
Noun
ʌpˈhiːvl
a violent or sudden change to something
The Arab Spring uprisings began in 2010 and triggered political upheaval across the Arab world.
embrace
Verb
ɪmˈbreɪs
to accept or support a new idea, technology, belief, etc. with enthusiasm
After the pandemic, our company really embraced remote working.
bridge
Verb
brɪdʒ
to make a difference between two things smaller
Nelson Mandela sought to bridge racial differences in post-Apartheid South Africa.
pathway
Noun
ˈpæθweɪ
a method, plan, etc. of achieving a specified result
The research outlines a potential pathway for reducing carbon emissions in the shipping industry.
Article
Read the article aloud on your own or repeat each paragraph after your tutor.
How AI Could Reduce Inequality in Education
"Until we get equality in education," said US Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor, "we won't have an equal society."
So how do we find that equality? According to some, artificial intelligence (AI) may actually be part of the solution.
One-on-one tutoring has been found to improve academic performance. But because it's only available to those who can afford it, it can actually increase inequality in education.
However, intelligent chatbots could make private tutoring available to anyone with access to an electronic device.
"This should be a leveler," Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates said last year.
The Economist agrees: "AI could at last make individual tutors viable for the many," it wrote at the start of 2024. "With the learning of students, especially those from poorer households, set back by the upheaval of the pandemic, such a development would certainly deserve top marks."
However, AI tutors probably wouldn't be free, with some chatbots already demanding fees for more advanced features. But Gates said even paid-for options would be cheaper than private tutoring with a human teacher.
And at a time when many school class sizes around the world are only getting larger, individual support could be as valuable as ever.
Indeed, as The Economist noted, many schools and local authorities have not embraced new technology as quickly as students have. The magazine said American schools spend just 2% of their budgets on technology.
So it may be that students will have to take the first steps to bridge the inequality divide themselves, with the help of AI.
Gates expressed hope for AI tutors that could "adapt and remember everything that you've done and look across your entire body of work."
There is still work to be done on the technology. But it could be one pathway toward equality in education — and maybe a more equal society too.
Discussion
Have a discussion based on the following questions.
1.
What are your thoughts on the idea of using AI to reduce education inequality?
2.
Is educational inequality a major issue in your country?
3.
Do you agree with Bill Gates that AI tutors could be a leveler?
4.
Would you consider taking a class with an AI tutor?
5.
What impact do you think AI will have on education over the next few decades?
6.
Are schools in your country quick to embrace new technology?
7.
Have you tried using AI for school or work? If so, how did you find it?