Teachers' Day: The role of teachers in the digital age and artificial intelligence

In Mexico, there are 2,160,440 teachers serving 29 million students across the country, according to data from the Ministry of Public Education (SEP). These numbers show that demand is extremely high, and Artificial Intelligence (AI) can be a great tool in this regard, making classes more agile.

A high school teacher, for example, faces groups of 10 to 35 students every day and must capture their attention, be clear, and include dynamics and materials that make the class lively and practical. This is undoubtedly a challenge.

On the other hand, we first perceived technological intelligence as a great threat. People feared losing their jobs, and the replacement of humans by machines seemed inevitable. Later, it was discovered that human interaction and attributes are vital, and it is now recognized as the great opportunity of the millennium. That's why we have stopped focusing on the replacement of AI to explore how technology is transforming the role of teachers, allowing them to personalize teaching, automate tasks, and focus on human interaction and socio-emotional development, as explained by Ludivina Herrera, rector of the Universidad Latinoamericana.

In an interview with El Economista, Ludivina Herrera, an education specialist, asserts that teachers today face new challenges: “Talking about teaching means talking about the impact that new technologies have on education, how we can coexist appropriately, and how we can take advantage of artificial intelligence and all the free and paid applications on the market, as well as how to leverage our teaching role with these tools that we won't be able to get rid of.” She reiterates her point: “It's about living together and taking advantage of them.”

For Herrera, there's no doubt this tool will allow us to better manage our goals of knowing how to search, analyze, discern, and argue. But how can we combine technology with teachers' expertise to generate a higher cognitive level in students? The challenge isn't simple, but it's not impossible either, which is why the dialogue is currently open.

She shares that as academic institutions, "the obligation is to delve deeper into, discuss, and research the topic," which is why this year they have dedicated themselves to discussions and promoting courses related to the use of artificial intelligence, its limits, applications, how to take advantage of it, and how it can become an ally in teaching.

He adds that "Artificial Intelligence saves us from many repetitive, tedious, and time-consuming tasks and allows us to focus on higher-value activities—in the case of teachers, the teaching-learning process and prioritizing knowledge."

It also has advantages, such as much more attractive presentations and software that allows for very clear presentations, as well as precise and effective summaries. But on the other hand, from the students' perspective, there is dependency. "This is something that worries academia, as it is used for plagiarism and at the same time increases inequality in education, this famous gap between those who have access to technology and those who don't."

Therefore, once again, the role of educational institutions is to ensure the infrastructure is adequate, but also to ensure the community's preparedness. "In the 1980s, for example, when the internet came out, many people were left completely behind because they didn't have access to technology due to a multitude of reasons, even because they thought it might be temporary. Today, we're in another wave where if we don't get on board and force ourselves to learn about it, we'll fall significantly behind, even more than we've seen in previous stages."

Today we know many of its applications, but it's also important to understand its foundations: how they work, what they require, how we can gain advantages and make our work more efficient, and thus seek out tools that allow us to create much more educational, fun, and versatile classes, combined with new methodologies.

The human and irreplaceable role in education

But the principal emphasized the importance of understanding that a teacher's guiding role is irreplaceable, as they observe students' competencies, foster them, analyze the development of their cognitive maturity, connect the dots—that is, understand how to weave networks to make better decisions in the classroom. "That is the role we teachers have now, and one that no machine can yet replace, as learning continues with a focus on the student and how they develop their skills, competencies, and knowledge."

He said we must recognize the irreplaceable human role that comes with understanding emotions, connecting with students, and communicating clearly—many things that a machine can emulate, but cannot replace.

Experiment

In a message to teachers, Herrera shares: “Don't fall behind. Ride the wave. Explore the apps and play with them to first understand what you can do with these tools, and be able to address the most basic questions through exploration.”

Then, it's a question of further reflection to understand the limits that may exist within the classroom, that is, "we are interested in the student having a good assignment, but not in evaluating a perfect essay that was surely written with an application, but rather in being able to measure cognitive skills through dialogue, listening, generating role-playing, and applying active methodologies that allow us to see true progress within the group and individually."

The specialist asks teachers to dare to experiment, to see which tools work best for them, to dare to change their classes and the methodologies they traditionally used, such as lectures or cases, and to have more active methodologies, even integrating AI, on the part of institutions. The obligation is to generate an entire ecosystem that allows them to enter this world without additional cost and achieve digital literacy.

“Dare to face your fears and doubts so you can truly strengthen your teaching profile, your professional profile with artificial intelligence, and ultimately the current profile of a 21st-century professional who is facing a technological revolution that has no turning back.”