School using AI learning

[hi.im.em]

Hi All,

 

To any tech savvy homeschoolers out there.. I've been reading about this alpha.school in texas where students learn via ai for 2h in the morning and then do enrichment stuff in the afternoon. I was wondering if anyone knows what technology they are using and whether this sort of thing is available to homeschoolers. I am imagining its things like Anki, Khan Academy, Duolingo etc.. any others? I'm interested as it seems to be accessing what homeschoolers get (self-based, tailored education with immediate feedback) but in a much less labor intensive way. There are teachers but they are known as 'learning guides' - reminds me of montessori. 

 

https://alpha.school/

*edit to add that I am in no way hankering after a school system like this, or suggesting that AI could replace a homeschooling parent. I'm just curious as to if anyone who knows about EdTech can elucidate what 'AI tutoring' actually is. There is another one called Synthesis, which is a math program which came out of AdAstra, which has mixed reviews.

Edited May 6 by hi.im.em

[bolt.]

To me, it seems really unlikely that a student can do much more learning in 2h with "AI" assistance (and no qualified teachers) than they can with 2h of focused learning in other ways.

In younger grades perhaps 2h/day of 'book learning' and the rest 'enrichment' (I'd like to see the definitions) is both sufficient and normal. Little learners already do lots of things during their school days. As kids progress to higher grades, 2h of focused academics daily is not at all reasonable for their learning, even if it is AI-assisted (whatever that means).

To me this seems like a gimmick school that is simply supervised online learning combined with supervised semi-educational activity time. I don't think that it's anything like what "homeschoolers get" from an individual teaching and learning environment, with a dedicated and intelligent parent and a customized curriculum. Good education tends to be very labour intensive! (As is the Montessori educational philosophy.)

This type of classroom doesn't sound at all self-based or tailored, and the only feedback is likely to be whether you picked the correct answer on a screen or used the right keywords in a response. That model of learning is very much limited to the domains of either concrete mathematical calculations or vocabulary acquisition in all other fields.

I'm not a fan. I wouldn't pay to send my kid to a school with no teachers, screen-based learning, and plenty of playtime -- unless I had a seriously good reason to choose that option. (If I really thought 2h of AI learning apps per day was valuable, I would just give them a tablet for 2h at home after going to a school with a teacher for the day!)

(Note: I understand that I am writing from Canada, where public school boards do not reflect the income disparities of various communities, and where one can generally expect an adequate-to-good education most years in most places. If one's 'other options' are failing schools, where 2h of focused and supervised screen learning would be an upgrade, maybe it meets a need. I don't know what I would do in that situation.)

[TechWife]

It’s a big no thanks from me.
Looking at the web site I see no indication that the owners (investors? developers?) understand what AI is, much less its limitations. Not only that, no one involved in it appears to have a background in education. Their “admissions counselor” has a finance degree. There are opportunities to “bring AI to your city,” AKA franchising, or possibly even MLM. Cost isn’t addressed on their website, but a quick google reveals anecdotal quotes of $40K annually. This strikes me as a gimmick to make money, not a viable educational model.

I could go on about the multitude of cons in using a system like this, but I think my 2nd & 3rd sentences are the origin of the cons that I see. I don’t see any pros to this, TBH. 

Edited May 6 by TechWife

[Heartstrings]

I would not want an education that was solely based Anki, Kahn and Duolingo and if I did I would just use those free resources instead of paying for a recreation.  At least those free options have spent years improving upon themselves and being the best versions of what they are.  

[Terabith]

Also, we do not contribute to the rise of the robot apocalypse!!!   

[PaxEtLux]

 

To my outsider eyes, issuing chromebooks to every public school student has been an unmitigated disaster, despite all the lofty promises beforehand.

This seems worse than that.

[DawnM]

AI is so new, esp for educational purposes.

I had a parent ask me if we could redo her child's 504 to include the use of AI.   I was like, "What?   I have no idea!"   I called the district and was told that they are just now starting to look into what is allowed/not allowed/etc....in schools and it is way too early to put anything on any 504 plan to include the use to AI.

I know it is advancing, and I wonder if our district will also start using AI to actually be a teacher in a classroom???

[Heartstrings]

9 minutes ago, DawnM said:

I know it is advancing, and I wonder if our district will also start using AI to actually be a teacher in a classroom???

It would not surprise me.   My estimation from the public school kids in my life is that computer games and programs like IXL or Mind Play are at least half of their class time right now, more for the advanced students who get through work quickly.  Most of the instruction seems to be in the form of videos or written lessons in a google classroom.  The teacher is mostly doing crowd management and tech support.  

Edited May 16 by Heartstrings

[Terabith]

5 hours ago, Heartstrings said:

It would not surprise me.   My estimation from the public school kids in my life is that computer games and programs like IXL or Mind Play are at least half of their class time right now, more for the advanced students who get through work quickly.  Most of the instruction seems to be in the form of videos or written lessons in a google classroom.  The teacher is mostly doing crowd management and tech support.  

This is accurate. Every student from kindergarten on is mandated to spend x amount of time each week in a variety of different programs.  If kids are absent, they have to be pulled from classes or recess to complete their time. 

[Clarita]

1 hour ago, Terabith said:

7 hours ago, Heartstrings said:

It would not surprise me.   My estimation from the public school kids in my life is that computer games and programs like IXL or Mind Play are at least half of their class time right now, more for the advanced students who get through work quickly.  Most of the instruction seems to be in the form of videos or written lessons in a google classroom.  The teacher is mostly doing crowd management and tech support.  

This is accurate. Every student from kindergarten on is mandated to spend x amount of time each week in a variety of different programs.  If kids are absent, they have to be pulled from classes or recess to complete their time. 

😲

[Lucia]

AI certainly makes learning easier, but I would like children to be able to think for themselves without the help of programs like AI. For example, there are many useful sites like https://educhill.com/ that help children with learning but also engage the child's mind. This is purely my opinion.