Application of Artificial Intelligence in Teaching Methods &
Inclusion of Coding as a Subject in Schools in India
Nowadays Artificial Intelligence is already a part of our daily lives. We are already surrounded
by this technology from automatic parking systems, smart sensors for taking spectacular photos,
face detection, personal assistance, smart home appliances, automating basic healthcare,
automating traffic control and various other applications.
Similarly, Artificial Intelligence in the academic world is becoming more inclusive, convenient
and personalized. The numerous applications of AI has changed the way people learn since
educational materials are becoming accessible to all through internet enabled smart devices and
computers from anywhere and anytime.
Today there are many schools worldwide which are the early adopters of this technology and
have modernized their schooling method where students don’t need to attend physical classes to
study as long as they have computers and internet connection. Not only AI is used only to ease
the learning process but this technology also implemented in the automation of administrative
tasks, allowing institutions to minimize the time required to complete difficult tasks so that the
educators can spend more time with students.
“According to the statistics given by the Human Resource & Development (HRD)Ministry of
India in 2016, there is a shortage of 1 million teachers across the country. In the case of
Universities and Colleges, there is a chronic shortage of faculty and the problem of finding
qualified people to fill this gap has become even more complicated.
In such a scenario, how can India, the second largest populated country in the world, cope with
the challenge of providing quality education to all?
Bringing Artificial Intelligence (AI) to the classrooms in India might just be the solution that we
have been looking for. The recent advancements in artificial intelligence (AI) is changing the
traditional methods of teaching process drastically worldwide. Hence the adoption of Artificial
Intelligence (AI) in Indian Classrooms is Need of the Hour!
Let’s explore the possibilities and effects that such a step would have on our society and
educational system.
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Virtual Facilitators and Learning Environments Streamlining Education System
Predictive Analysis of School Dropouts
Smart Content for Personalized Education
Immersive learning experience through Virtual Reality (VR)
Intelligent Tutoring Systems for Assistance to Teachers
Student Performance Analysis
Accessible and Inclusive Education
Self mode Proctored Assessments
Answersheet Evaluation
Instant Result / Grading System
Education has no limits, and AI can help to eliminate the gaps in the Indian education system.
Hence AI in Indian classrooms is the way to go forward. One key aspect of education that will
not change is the Teacher. AI-based tools will never replace the teacher but their role will evolve.
The teacher would become a facilitator of learning, assisting students, providing human
interaction and more hands-on experience in the classrooms. Students will become owners of
their own learning process and this will significantly improve learning outcomes and quality of
education.
Artificial Intelligence is soon going to be the wind of change that would impact the education
industry. Artificial Intelligence will give the scale to provide good quality education across the
country at low cost and without the need for equivalent manpower. So, all schools should
welcome this as it would have a long term positive impact for our country’s place in the digital
and globalized world.
Till now we were discussing about the gaps in the Indian education industry and how AI can
bridge the gaps. But there is another aspect which should also come to focus for various schools
i.e coding as a subject for school students.
According to Steve Jobs, “Everybody should learn to program a computer, because it teaches
you how to think.” We live in a digital world where computer programs underlie everything from
business, marketing, aviation, science, engineering and medicine, to name several disciplines. “
The Future of Jobs Report’ by the World Economic Forum predicts that 65% of children entering
primary school today will ultimately end up working in completely new job types that don’t yet
exist. A majority of the jobs are soon going to be something that requires algorithmic thinking
and programming skills. Algorithmic thinking is nothing but learning to structure one’s own
thoughts.”
“The influx of coding in the classroom preps students for real-life situations and sets them up for
a strong transition into the workforce.” In this emerging world, children need exposure to
computational thinking, the thought processes involved in formulating problems and solutions in
ways that computers can effectively execute. It is also about developing skills to deal with any
open-ended problem across disciplines, be it maths, science or humanities, and to be ready for
the jobs of the future.
In today’s digital age, most children learn to swipe and click before they can speak coherently or
walk. Smartphones and tablets are their digital pacifiers, companions and entertainers. Kids do
not need to be proficient in reading or writing to do this because stories and images are used to
explain the concepts.
Coding is about much more than teaching technology. It incorporates logic, problem-solving,
and creativity in an engaging way for children of all ages. The non-cognitive skills that children
develop through coding lessons are even more beneficial to young learners than the technical
skills they acquire. Coding allows students to be creative without being wrong. If something
doesn’t work, students must figure out why and determine how to fix it. Coding is the process of
continually making mistakes, learning from them and correcting them. Coding requires creativity
and critical thinking – future-ready skills, that, along with collaboration and communication, are
essential. Best of all, coding allows students to create content, rather than simply consume it –
and that’s a must-have skill for functioning in today’s tech-driven world.
In India, both CBSE and ICSE boards have introduced programming as a part of their computer
science course, but the course is optional for most schools. The fear that coding is difficult for
students to learn is totally a misconception and one should understand that learning coding is
easy and has a different approach than learning programming. Kids are growing up in a very
different world than that of their parents. Cell phones, computers, YouTube, Netflix, and
Facebook are embedded in their daily lives. Even toys are digital, and many are programmable,
such as Legos and the new-generation LeapFrogs. Coding draws back the seeming “magic” of
technology so they can truly understand the logic and science that controls this technology – a
discovery that is all the more magical. Hence all the schools and parents should come forward to
embarrass Coding as a subject that’s well-rounded and age-appropriate.