GitLab

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is changing education while making finding out more available however likewise sparking debates on its impact.

While trainees hail AI tools like ChatGPT for enhancing their knowing experience, lecturers are raising concerns about the growing reliance on AI, which they argue fosters laziness and weakens scholastic stability, particularly with many trainees not able to safeguard their tasks or offered works.

Prof. Isaac Nwaogwugwu, a lecturer at the University of Lagos, in an interview with Nairametrics, revealed frustration over the growing reliance on AI-generated reactions amongst students stating a current experience he had.

RelatedStories

Avoid sharing personal information that can determine you with AI tools- Expert warns

Chinese AI app DeepSeek stimulates global tech selloff, difficulties U.S. AI dominance

"I gave a project to my MBA students, and out of over 100 trainees, about 40% sent the precise very same answers. These students did not even understand each other, however they all utilized the very same AI tool to create their reactions," he stated.

He noted that this pattern is widespread among both undergraduate and postgraduate students however is particularly concerning in part-time and distance knowing programs.

"AI is a serious difficulty when it pertains to tasks. Many students no longer think critically-they simply browse the web, create answers, and submit," he included.

Surprisingly, some lecturers are likewise accused of over-relying on AI, setting a cycle where both educators and trainees turn to AI for benefit rather than intellectual rigor.

This dispute raises vital questions about the role of AI in scholastic integrity and student advancement.

According to a UNESCO report, while ChatGPT reached 100 million month-to-month active users in January 2023, just one nation had actually released guidelines on generative AI since July 2023.

As of December 2024, ChatGPT had over 300 million people utilizing the AI chatbot each week and 1 billion messages sent every day all over the world.

Decline of scholastic rigor

University lecturers are progressively worried about trainees submitting AI-generated tasks without truly understanding the content.

Dr. Felix Echekoba, a lecturer at Nnamdi Azikiwe University, revealed his concerns to Nairametrics about students progressively relying on ChatGPT, just to fight with addressing basic questions when tested.

"Many trainees copy from ChatGPT and send refined tasks, but when asked fundamental concerns, they go blank. It's disappointing since education is about discovering, not simply passing courses," he stated.

- Prof. Nwaogwugwu explained that the increasing number of top-notch graduates can not be entirely attributed to AI however admitted that even high-performing students use these tools.
"A superior student is a first-class trainee, AI or not, however that does not indicate they do not cheat. The advantages of AI may be peripheral, however it is making trainees dependent and less analytical," he said.

- Another speaker, Dr. Ereke, from Ebonyi State University, raised a various concern that some lecturers themselves are guilty of the very same practice.
"It's not just trainees using AI slackly. Some lecturers, out of their own laziness, generate lesson notes, course outlines, marking plans, and even exam concerns with AI without examining them. Students in turn utilize AI to generate responses. It's a cycle of laziness and it is killing real learning," he lamented.

Students' viewpoints on use

Students, on the other hand, say AI has actually enhanced their learning experience by making scholastic products more reasonable and available.

- Eniola Arowosafe, a 300-level Business Administration trainee at Unilag, shared how AI has actually substantially helped her knowing by breaking down complex terms and providing summaries of prolonged texts.
"AI assisted me comprehend things more easily, particularly when handling intricate topics," she explained.

However, she recalled an instance when she used AI to submit her project, just for her speaker to right away acknowledge that it was generated by ChatGPT and decline it. Eniola noted that it was a good-bad impact.

- Bryan Okwuba, who recently graduated with a first-rate degree in Pharmacy Technology from the University of Lagos, firmly believes that his academic success wasn't due to any AI tool. He associates his impressive grades to actively interesting by asking questions and focusing on locations that lecturers highlight in class, as they are frequently reflected in exam questions.
"It's all about being present, focusing, and tapping into the wealth of knowledge shared by my coworkers," he said,

- Tunde Awoshita, a final-year marketing student at UNIZIK, admits to occasionally copying directly from ChatGPT when dealing with multiple deadlines.
"To be honest, there are times I copy straight from ChatGPT when I have numerous deadlines, and I understand I'm guilty of that, most times the lecturers do not get to go through them, but AI has also assisted me discover quicker."

Balancing AI's role in education

Experts believe the solution lies in AI literacy; teaching trainees and speakers how to utilize AI as a knowing help instead of a shortcut.

- Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, highlighted the integration of AI into Nigeria's education system, stressing the importance of a balanced technique that preserves human involvement while harnessing AI to enhance discovering results.
"As we navigate the quickly developing landscape of Artificial Intelligence (AI), it is essential that we prioritise human company in education. We need to guarantee that AI improves, instead of changes, educators' vital function in shaping young minds," he said

Concerns over AI in Learning

Dorcas Akintade, a cybersecurity transformation expert, resolved growing concerns concerning the usage of expert system (AI) tools such as ChatGPT and their possible risks to the educational system.

- She acknowledged the benefits of AI, nevertheless, highlighted the requirement for care in its use.
- Akintade highlighted the increasing hesitance amongst teachers and schools towards incorporating AI tools in discovering environments. She identified two main reasons AI tools are discouraged in instructional settings: security dangers and plagiarism. She described that AI tools like ChatGPT are trained to respond based on user interactions, which may not align with the expectations of teachers.
"It is not looking at it as a tutor," Akintade said, describing that AI doesn't accommodate particular mentor methods.

Plagiarism is another concern, as AI pulls from existing information, frequently without correct attribution

"A lot of people require to comprehend, like I said, this is data that has actually been trained on. It is not simply bringing things out from the sky. It's bringing info that some other individuals are fed into it, which in essence indicates that is another person's paperwork," she cautioned.

- Additionally, Akintade highlighted an early problem in AI development referred to as "hallucination," where AI tools would generate info that was not accurate.
"Hallucination indicated that it was drawing out information from the air. If ChatGPT could not get that details from you, it was going to make one up," she explained.

She advised "grounding" AI by offering it with specific info to prevent such errors.

Navigating AI in Education

Akintade argued that banning AI tools outright is not the service, particularly when AI provides a chance to leapfrog standard academic techniques.

- She believes that consistently strengthening crucial people keep in mind and avoid making errors when faced with challenges.
"Immersion brings conversion. When you tell individuals the very same thing over and over once again, when they will make the errors, then they'll keep in mind."

She also empasized the requirement for clear policies and treatments within schools, keeping in mind that lots of schools ought to address individuals and procedure elements of this usage.

- Prof. Nwaogwugwu has turned to in-class projects and tests to counter AI-driven academic dishonesty.
"Now, I primarily utilize tasks to ensure students supply original work." However, he acknowledged that handling big classes makes this approach difficult.

"If you set intricate concerns, students will not have the ability to utilize AI to get direct responses," he explained.

He highlighted the need for universities to train speakers on crafting examination concerns that AI can not quickly fix while acknowledging that some lecturers struggle to counter AI abuse due to a lack of technological awareness. "Some lecturers are analogue," he said.

- Nigeria released a draft National AI Strategy in August 2024, concentrating on ethical AI development with fairness, openness, accountability, and personal privacy at its core.
- UNESCO in a report requires the policy of AI in education, encouraging organizations to examine algorithms, data, and outputs of generative AI tools to guarantee they satisfy ethical standards, fakenews.win protect user data, and filter unsuitable content.
- It worries the need to examine the long-term impact of AI on vital skills like thinking and creativity while developing policies that align with ethical frameworks. Additionally, UNESCO advises executing age limitations for GenAI use to protect younger trainees and safeguard vulnerable groups.
- For federal governments, forum.batman.gainedge.org it recommended adopting a collaborated national technique to managing GenAI, including developing oversight bodies and aligning guidelines with existing information defense and personal privacy laws. It highlights examining AI dangers, imposing stricter guidelines for high-risk applications, and making sure national information ownership.