[Paper Review] Education in the age of Generative AI: Context and Recent Developments

Rafael Ferreira Mello, Elyda Freitas+4 more|arXiv (Cornell University)|Aug 17, 2023

Big Data and Business Intelligence33 citations

TL;DR

This white paper surveys the role of generative AI in education, situating current developments within a historical context and outlining topics for a four-part series on potential, applications, limitations, ethics, and future trends.

ABSTRACT

With the emergence of generative artificial intelligence, an increasing number of individuals and organizations have begun exploring its potential to enhance productivity and improve product quality across various sectors. The field of education is no exception. However, it is vital to notice that artificial intelligence adoption in education dates back to the 1960s. In light of this historical context, this white paper serves as the inaugural piece in a four-part series that elucidates the role of AI in education. The series delves into topics such as its potential, successful applications, limitations, ethical considerations, and future trends. This initial article provides a comprehensive overview of the field, highlighting the recent developments within the generative artificial intelligence sphere.

Motivation & Objective

• Provide a historical and contextual overview of AI in education, including the emergence of generative AI.
• Summarize recent developments in generative AI as they relate to education.
• Outline the scope and topics for a four-part series exploring potential, applications, limitations, ethics, and future trends.

Proposed method

• Literature review and synthesis of historical context and recent developments in education and AI.
• Situating the discussion within the long history of AI adoption in education (dating back to the 1960s).
• Articulating the scope and topics of a four-part series on AI in education (potential, applications, limitations, ethics, future trends).

Experimental results

Research questions

• RQ1 What is the current context and state of generative AI in education?
• RQ2 What are the recent developments and potential applications of generative AI in educational settings?
• RQ3 What limitations and ethical considerations arise with AI in education, and what future trends are anticipated?

Key findings

• Generative AI is part of a longer history of AI adoption in education dating back to the 1960s.
• The paper provides a comprehensive overview of recent developments in generative AI within education.
• The article outlines topics for further exploration in a four-part series, including potential, successful applications, limitations, ethical considerations, and future trends.