AuthorDiandra Putri AndinarGertrud Riang Pinandhita PembayunKatherine Quek Ke YiNatalia Ashley ChongNatasha Aurellia SetiawanSoh En Jia JadeaStella SerafinaYip Mun HyunEditorAchmed Faiz Siregar
Artificial Intelligence (AI) is the ability of computer systems to perform tasks that usually require human skills or intelligence such as learning, problem solving, and decision making. Nowadays, technology has advanced to a degree in which it is able to execute those things for us. Which is why AI is becoming increasingly widespread in various parts of the world. Specifically in today’s educational landscape, the world is now looking towards AI as not only a solution for, but also assistance in teaching and learning systems. From a system that once relied purely on sheer will and manpower, it now faces a heavily changing transition, turning into a much simpler approach. But we must ask ourselves, is this transition for the worse or for the better?
Lets get one thing straight, AI can greatly support learning, but not everyone can benefit equally. What happens when students in rural areas have less internet or when AI tools don’t work well in local languages? This group will explore how AI in education can both help and widen gaps, based on location, language, or socio-economic aspects. For example in Singapore, the Ministry of Education has introduced AI-driven personalized learning platforms such as Student Learning Space (SLS). However, students from lower-income families may lack access to personal devices, further widening the digital divide. In Indonesia, AI tools such as Ruangguru’s AI quizzes can help out students get personalized tutoring. Widening gaps may look a lot like students in rural areas (e.g., Papua, Kalimantan, NTT) often lack stable internet connections and devices, meaning they cannot access these AI platforms.
AI can be useful in many ways, such as resourcing for information, researching and used as a structural tool. Students around the world with access to the internet and advanced technology will be able to use AI as a guidance tool to help them learn and improve their understanding of schoolwork. However, its beneficial quality can be canceled out if students rely solely on AI for answers rather than gaining knowledge. For example, if students excessively rely on AI, we will not be able to process anything or retain any information, resulting in students not fully understanding their subjects. At the end of the day, the student would not have learnt anything of great importance except the ability to type questions about and gain answers in return. Additionally, places of rich artistic diversity and talent, such as Indonesia, can be threatened by the knowledge and range of resources that AI has. What was once original artworks made by real humans by their own effort can now be recreated by AI in just a few seconds. This affects the culture of these countries as foreigners will be unable to tell what is true Indonesian culture and what is virtually created by online platforms. AI can be useful in many ways, such as resourcing for information, researching and as a structural tool.
Beyond these classrooms, limited internet access can also affect the access to crucial information. Those who have less internet access and technology may receive news slower than others as much of the information that is published throughout is mainly done online. This could affect their safety as if there was a natural disaster ongoing, they wouldn’t have received warnings. This puts them at a greater risk.
So how can we mend the gap in education inequality? Well, other than resourcing for information, comes the question: “Is AI helping to reduce inequality in education, or is it deepening the divide?”. Well, it’s quite complex—the technology can help divide or form a bridge between educational gaps. The result depends heavily on how AI is implemented.
One of the most promising aspects of AI in education is its ability to help students learn and personalize learning. Traditional classroom systems are often a one-size-fits-all approach, which can leave students behind who actually need more support or are facing challenges in understanding and partaking in the classroom activities as well as simply understanding a material. AI, on the other hand, can adapt to each student’s learning style and their pace.
Some examples of AI personalizing learning are platforms like Khan Academy and Duolingo. These platforms already adopt the algorithms to adapt based on a student’s performance and provide a chatbot for asking questions a student may have a hard time understanding. This means students have the opportunity to learn more, practice, and earn support in their weak areas while an advanced student who already understands a certain material can go ahead and move without being held back by these students who haven’t grasped the concept yet.
As mentioned in the paragraph before, some platforms provide chatbots and virtual assistants. Another example of this is ChatGPT and DeepSeek AI, which provides help and further explanation, practice questions, and giving study guidance even outside of school hours and extra lesson hours.
The gaps that these AIs can fix are bridging educational gaps in access to tutoring. Private tutoring is a luxury many families cannot afford. AI helps mend these gaps— as long as you have access to the internet. It is low cost or even free to all students. We can look at it in a bigger scope— the global scale where even school and education is limited and the amount of teachers are hardly close to what is needed to teach the significant number of students. For instance, in remote African villages, some educational institutions are using AI powered apps to teach children how to do basic maths and read—all without needing the constant supervision of a teacher.
Another example is the power of AI to support students with disabilities who are often neglected or acted out in mainstream educational classrooms. Text-to-speech tools and interpreting sign language are some of the basic help students with hearing impairments, visual impairments, and learning disabilities can get. A real life example of this would be a foreign student speaking another language via a tablet or smartphone, then translated and voiced to the teacher in real time. It gives them a more inclusive learning experience for their future and ensures that no one is left behind. This promotes a more inclusive learning experience for all kinds of students and adapts to their needs dynamically.
In addition to this, AI not only assists and personalizes learning for students but AI can also assist teachers by using auto-grading systems, providing a material, help teachers research, and allow them to focus more on student-to-teacher interactions in class.
In conclusion, AI in education offers great potential and help. Though, it also comes with significant challenges. AI can personalize learning, support the teachers, and reach students in places where the education is limited. Yet, without equal access to the internet and devices, AI may deepen the very gap it is trying to solve. The real challenge isn’t in the technology itself, but in how societies choose to use AI— either societies use it to bridge divides or widen the inequality gap.
References
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