Marlee Strawn, a former educator turned ed-tech entrepreneur, recently shared information on the role of artificial intelligence (AI) in education during her TEDx talk. Drawing from her experience as a teacher and school administrator, Strawn offered a nuanced perspective on how AI can enhance the learning experience while emphasizing the irreplaceable value of human teachers.

Strawn’s journey in education has led her to co-found an AI platform, Scholar Education, designed to streamline lesson planning and personalize learning experiences.

“Today I stand in front of you as the co-founder of an AI platform that is designed to streamline lesson planning for teachers and provide a very personalized learning experience for students, but with a special focus on students who need special accommodations,” she explained.

While acknowledging AI’s potential to revolutionize education, Strawn cautioned against overlooking the human element in teaching. She stated: “AI will give every single teacher a highly qualified teaching assistant that will help them create lesson plans, grade and automate tasks they spend hours and hours on.” This assistance could free up valuable time for teachers to focus on more impactful aspects of their role.

However, Strawn was quick to point out the limitations of AI in the classroom.

“AI can’t be that teacher who brings the snacks to school because she notices the student doesn’t have lunch,” she said, stressing the importance of teachers’ emotional intelligence and empathy.

Looking to the future, Strawn sees a world where AI becomes an integral part of education.

“This next generation is going to grow up in a world where they have the tutor, the teacher has the assistant and that is going to be the norm,” she remarked. Despite this technological integration, Strawn maintains that the essence of education remains fundamentally human.

Strawn asserted that AI should be viewed as a tool to enhance, not replace, the crucial role of teachers: “The teachers will now have ai as a tool just as they did with all of the Technologies of the past to support what they do best: Inspire, motivate, and nurture the next generation of students.”

Featured image: Credit: Scholar Education