Rise of Gen-AI in K-12 Possibilities & pitfalls

In China, elementary school students are already learning about AI, including how chatbots work and the ethics behind them. The country is also putting money into AI-powered platforms that offer personalised learning for K-12 students. In Taiwan, AI is being used to help kids learn English, with chatbot-based tools that make language practice more interactive and fun.

As students’ needs grow more varied, schools and teachers are turning to AI to tailor lessons to each child’s pace and learning style. The Covid-19 pandemic sped up the use of digital tools in classrooms, and now, with Generative AI (Gen-AI) becoming more available, it’s even easier to bring tech into education. A 2024 HolonIQ report said AI use in education jumped from 25% in 2023 to 30% in 2024.

With challenges like teacher burnout, learning gaps, and complex admin work, AI offers new ways to help by lightening workloads, customizing lessons, and making learning more engaging. But then, challenges also persist. Let’s take a closer look at the advantages and disadvantages of integrating Gen-AI into K-12 education:

Personalised learning: AI can study how a student learns, what they like, and what they struggle with. Then, it can recommend lessons, exercises, and activities just for them. For example, in science, AI tools can look at a student’s answers and spot any misunderstandings. It can also find patterns in writing and grammar mistakes across multiple assignments, helping teachers give better, more targeted feedback. “The realm of Generative AI is boundless and has the potential of elevating the teaching- learning experience to a level where the classroom becomes truly inclusive. The student can be facilitated to learn at his or her own pace using customised assessment, ultimately leading to the desired learning outcomes. Moreover, the contribution of Machine Learning (ML) particularly towards guidance and counselling in K-12 education goes without saying,” said Purnima Chatterjee, Principal, MP Birla Foundation Higher Secondary School in Kolkata.

Collaborative efforts: Working together is one of the best ways for students to understand new ideas. With Gen-AI, it’s even easier for students to brainstorm, join group discussions, and team up on projects, sometimes with classmates from different parts of the world. AI-powered virtual platforms make all of this possible. They open up space for fresh ideas, different viewpoints, and help students start thinking in more creative ways.

Time-saver for teachers: Gen-AI can be a real helping hand for teachers. It can take care of routine tasks like grading or paperwork, help plan lessons faster and even assist in designing fun and meaningful classroom activities. This means teachers can spend more time actually teaching and growing in their profession, while students get a richer and more engaging learning experience. “Gen-AI can also significantly shorten teacher time for unit planning. Gen-AI can be linked to specific curriculum outcomes, and then create 70-80% of unit plans. This saves a lot of time for teachers. Teachers still need to check the units and add in the remaining 20-30%, but this tool can actually help teachers focus on the critical work of what they are doing in classrooms. AI tutoring is also a really helpful tool as long as it is overseen by teachers. It will allow teachers to work with smaller groups or separate groups of students, while giving clear practice time within the context of the classroom and really help eliminate the need for outside tuition that happens,” said Dr Ted Mockrish, Head of School, Canadian International School, Bangalore.

Money matters: To work well in education, AI tools need to be trained using massive amounts of data and gathering that kind of data isn’t cheap. On top of that, it takes a lot of computing power and resources to train the AI systems properly. In a country like India, where only about 52% of the population has access to the internet, rolling out Gen-AI in rural classrooms will take time and investment. This gap in access, often called the digital divide, can make things worse for students in under-developed areas, leaving them behind in terms of learning opportunities and skills.

Bias in AI: Like any technology, Gen-AI has its downsides too. One major concern is bias. If the data used to train AI is biased, the system will also reflect those same biases and sometimes even make them worse. This can be especially harmful in education, where biased responses or content can confuse young learners or reinforce stereotypes. “Gen AI work still needs to get checked because it still may be wrong. Think of the way the math was checked on NASA flight plans when computers were first used to project trajectories for space flight; the calculations were often wrong and needed double checking by a human. We are still in that phase with Gen-AI,” said Dr Mockrish.

Overdependence on technology: One more concern is that students might start depending too much on Gen-AI for their homework or assignments. This can get in the way of building real problem-solving and critical thinking skills. “It is important to ensure that the use of Gen-AI does not infringe upon the creativity of the teacher or the student. Overdependence and overindulgence should be strongly discouraged. It is also essential to gauge the veracity of the information generated and this is where the role of the teacher in a physical classroom will always predominate,” said Purnima Chatterjee.

Generative AI is no longer just a futuristic idea. It’s already making its mark in K-12 education. While there are real concerns, like limited budgets, overreliance on technology, and unequal access, the potential it holds to reshape how students learn is hard to ignore.