How parents and grandparents can leverage AI to support children’s learning.
Hold tight - we’re checking permissions before loading more content
There has been significant discourse surrounding the integration of AI in educational settings, particularly concerning how students can effectively use it.
Many schools have opted to prohibit tools such as ChatGPT until they can determine how to incorporate them into the educational process.
During my school years, I encountered difficulties grasping certain concepts and was among those students who hesitated to seek clarification when facing challenges.
Consequently, I fell behind in several subjects. Fortunately, my grandmother, who was highly educated, played a pivotal role in my education. On weekends, she devoted her time to assisting me with homework, patiently explaining topics I found perplexing.
She even took me to libraries and museums to conduct additional research. Importantly, she never made me feel inadequate and always conveyed explanations in a manner that resonated with me.
As a parent, I supported my children during their early years of schooling. However, as they progressed into high school, the subjects became increasingly intricate and extended beyond my areas of expertise.
Unfortunately, they did not have the privilege of bonding with and learning from my grandmother, as I did during childhood. As parents, we should strive to assist our children’s learning wherever possible.
However, we face challenges due to the growing class sizes and the high demand for teachers, which often results in some students falling behind. So, what can we do to support them?
Children readily embrace new technologies, and there is a growing concern within the education sector regarding the use of AI for homework tasks. Many students ask a question and copy-paste the answer, missing out on genuine learning. As parents, we recognise that this approach doesn’t benefit our children.
By embracing the same technology, we can assist and support teachers in promoting effective learning and a deeper understanding of subjects. With some investment of our own time, we can now use tools such as ChatGPT to educate ourselves and provide valuable assistance to our children with their schoolwork, much like my grandmother did for me.
Let’s put this concept into practice by demonstrating AI in an educational sense.
Nathan: My child is doing maths in high school. Can you help us both learn?
ChatGPT: Of course, I’d be happy to help you and your child with math! To get started, it would be helpful to know what specific topics or areas of math your child is studying. High-school math can cover many topics, including algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics and more.
Remember that the key to success in education is practice and a deep understanding of the fundamentals. Patience, persistence and a growth mindset are essential for you and your child. If you have specific questions or need help with a particular math topic, feel free to ask, and I’ll do my best to assist you both.
Homework question (Remember these from back in the day?)
A train departs from Station A at 9am with 50 passengers on board, travelling at a constant speed of 50km/h. Along the route, it makes several stops. At each stop, a certain number of passengers get off, and a certain number of passengers get on and off.
At Stop 1 (9:30am), three passengers get off, and five passengers get on.
At Stop 2 (10am), two passengers get off, and eight passengers get on.
At Stop 3 (10.30am), four passengers get off, and six passengers get on.
Calculate the following: How many passengers were on the train when it departed from Station A at 9am?
How many passengers are on the train arriving at Stop 3 at 10:30 am?
Nathan: Can you help us work out this question and not just give us the answer but break it down so we can understand?
ChatGPT: Solution:
Let’s calculate the number of passengers at each stage:
Passengers on the train when it departed from Station A at 9am:
The initial number of passengers on board is given as 50.
Passengers on the train at Stop 1 (9:30 am):
Three passengers got off.
Five passengers got on.
So, the total passengers = 50 (initial) - 3 (got off) + 5 (got on) = 52 passengers.
Passengers on the train at Stop 2 (10am):
Two passengers got off.
Eight passengers got on.
So, the total passengers = 52 (from Stop 1) - 2 (got off) + 8 (got on) = 58 passengers.
Passengers on the train at Stop 3 (10.30am):
Four passengers got off.
Six passengers got on.
So, the total passengers = 58 (from Stop 2) - 4 (got off) + 6 (got on) = 60 passengers.
Answers:
When the train departed from Station A at 9am, there were 50 passengers on board.
When the train arrives at Stop 3 at 10.30am, there are 60 passengers on board.
You must admit that the response is cool. This transported me back to the days spent with my grandmother. I imagine she would have explained things just as effectively as AI did. I dearly wish she were still with us — I believe we would have shared a good laugh pitting her against AI, although my grandmother would always come out on top.
So, my point is this: as parents and grandparents, we now possess the tools to recreate those cherished family moments and actively participate in our children’s education. We can bridge the gaps where our children might be missing out in school and equip them for the future. Instead of harbouring scepticism about technology, we should always explore how it can assist, and use it for positive purposes.
I want to dedicate this story to the memory of my beloved grandmother and honour her memory, hoping that one day, I may be able to use these same tools to assist my future grandchildren with their education, just like she did for me.
As always, I hope you’ve found this story enjoyable, and if you have any questions or suggestions regarding technology-related content you’d like me to cover, please email us at askatech@mmg.com.au