British Council and academicians discuss artificial intelligence
KUWAIT: The British Council recently organized a discussion on the topic of artificial intelligence in education, inviting representatives from the education sector in Kuwait. The event showcased the potential benefits of AI in education, emphasizing collaborative decision-making, ethical considerations and the need for practical training for educators. The discussion was presented by UCL Artificial Intelligence and was led by Dr Manolis Mavrakis, who is a professor of artificial intelligence in education at University College London Knowledge Lab. During the discussion, Dr Mavrakis spoke about how AI can be used to shape the pedagogy in teaching and learning. He also explained how students can use Generative AI and discussed the different types of generative AI available, as well as the most beneficial ways to use them. However, he emphasized that the decision to use AI in teaching should be made by individual courses in cooperation with the students.
Dr Mavrakis explained Generative AI, including tools like ChatGPT and InDesign for image generation, while also stressing the importance of raising awareness about potential security issues. One of the aims of the discussion was to raise awareness among students about the unintended consequences of using AI, such as security risks. “We are trying to leverage previous content and data to be able to make decisions in teaching and learning, using approaches that aren’t just about Generative AI but also other types of AI,” he said.
Acting General Supervisor of ELT at the Education Ministry Huda Al-Ammar expressed her enthusiasm about the potential impact of AI on learners, saying that it will add more excitement and interest to the learning process. She also highlighted how AI can reduce the burden on educators and help them better follow up on student performances throughout the course.
Bernie Babkirk, Administrative Director at Kuwait National English School, noted that the discussion was valuable for its different perspectives. He emphasized the importance of developing AI and its pedagogy, as well as access to its data. He also stressed the need for more training for teachers to better understand how to implement AI in education. “We are here because there is a lack of training. Kids already have the ability to use AI but we as teachers need more training to know more about how to implement it,” he said adding the next event will include more of what local educators need.
Dr Iyad Abu Doush, Director of the Office of Research and Grants Professor in the Computer Science College at the American University of Kuwait (AUK), praised Dr Mavrakis’ presentation, saying that it provided many ideas that can benefit students. He also stressed the importance of using AI in real-life contexts and teaching students complex concepts, while ensuring that they use these tools in an ethical way. “In today’s event, Professor Manolis has presented many ideas that we can benefit from, showing that there are different aspects related to AI and education,” he said.