Bringing AI revolution into the classroom | Dr Parmod Kumar | TEDxLotus Petal School

Introduction of Dr. Parmod Kumar and His Work

• Dr. Parmod Kumar is a State Program Officer at the Directorate of Elementary Education in Haryana, holding a PhD in Education, and has been instrumental in transforming education through innovative methods and global exposure (18s).
• He has been at the forefront of crucial reforms, including the Right to Education Act, Nipun Bharat National Education Policy 2020, and the National Curriculum Framework 2023 (33s).
• Dr. Kumar has influenced over 8,000 educators from 40 nations and has visited over 52 countries, engaging with top universities across four continents (53s).
• He asks students if they believe AI is playing a wonderful role in their studies and if they are using AI in their schooling system (1m11s).
• Dr. Kumar is responsible for making the national curriculum framework for Haryana and will share how AI will play a role in the coming years (1m30s).
• The National Education Policy 2020 mentions a chapter on 21st-century skills, which includes skills not available when Dr. Kumar was in school (2m4s).
• Dr. Kumar notes that the Indian school system has a big gap, with schools made in the 18th century, teachers from the 19th or 20th century, and students from the 21st century (2m20s).

The Role of AI in Education and Daily Life

• He imagines a scenario in 2030 or 2032, where he orders a pizza and the executive uses his data to advise him on what to order and how to pay, illustrating the potential role of AI in daily life (2m48s).
• A new concept called AAR ID (Automated Progress Report System) is emerging, which generates a student registration number (SRN) linked to the student's Aadhaar number, parents' Aadhaar number, and bank account number, and is attached to a holistic progress card that tracks academic, non-academic, co-curricular, and extracurricular progress (5m0s).
• The AAR ID system will make it impossible to hide or save personal data, but this does not mean that AI is not important (5m41s).

Dr. Kumar's Journey in Education and Technology

• The journey as a professional teacher began 31 years ago, starting as a primary teacher in 1993, and it was realized that the education system made very little use of information technology (6m4s).
• To adapt to the changing education landscape, a master's degree in computer application was pursued in 1998, and completed in 2000, which led to various job offers, but the decision was made to stay and work in the existing school system (6m51s).
• Extensive travel to over 52 countries and teaching in more than 20 countries has provided opportunities to interact with thousands of teachers and understand that students are the same everywhere, and artificial intelligence is a demand of the era (7m32s).

AI in the Classroom and Its Importance for Teachers

• A classroom that incorporates AI, augmented reality, and virtual reality is being developed, which will make data-related information more accessible and engaging (8m27s).
• Artificial intelligence is important not just for students, but also for teachers, and while there are some gaps and issues, protocols and norms can be established to ensure safe and responsible use (8m45s).
• The CIT division of NCERT is working on writing protocols for students on how to use artificial intelligence, and a draft of screen time guidelines has been recently released (9m20s).

Bridging the Digital Divide and Personalized Learning

• The use of digital devices can help alleviate fears, but it's essential to delve deeper into artificial intelligence, which played a crucial role during the COVID-19 pandemic when schools were closed, and teachers and students relied on digital devices to stay connected (9m32s).
• In Haryana, there was a significant digital divide, particularly in government schools, where students from socially and economically disadvantaged backgrounds lacked access to laptops and internet (9m57s).
• The Department of School Education in Haryana initiated a project called e-Adhigam, which provided free tablets to students in grades 10-12, along with 2GB of internet data per day (10m20s).
• Another initiative related to AI is PAL, a personalized adaptive learning tool that offers customized learning experiences based on students' performance and competency levels (10m41s).
• PAL allows students to take tests, receive feedback, and access relevant content, including videos and texts, to improve their learning outcomes (10m52s).
• The tool also enables students to connect with their teachers virtually or physically, making learning more accessible and efficient (11m22s).

Limitations and Challenges of AI in Education

• However, AI has its limitations, and the quality of data input is crucial in determining the quality of output, as the saying "garbage in, garbage out" suggests (11m34s).
• The Continuous and Comprehensive Evaluation (CCE) system, introduced by the CBSE and NCERT, uses rubrics to assess students' performance, but this approach has its drawbacks, such as generating similar reports for students with different learning styles and abilities (11m50s).
• The intervention of teachers is essential in the CCE system to provide personalized feedback and guidance to students (12m33s).
• AI has its limitations, but it is gradually being improved, and future developments may include the integration of emotional intelligence, as depicted in the movie featuring Shahid Kapoor and Kiara Advani, where the robot, Kiara, develops emotions (13m26s).

21st-Century Skills and the Expanding Applications of AI

• The 21st-century skills prescribed in the National Education policy include analytical skills, data mining, blockchain management, augmented reality, virtual reality, and artificial intelligence (14m27s).
• Artificial intelligence is not limited to working in an office, but is used in various fields, such as farming, where Israeli farmers use AI to manage their crops and prevent over-supply, which can lead to reduced rates (14m53s).
• The use of AI in farming allows for the management of crop data, enabling farmers to delay or extend the crop cycle by up to 60 days (15m58s).
• Many Indian students, particularly IT professionals, go abroad to work, but there are also employment opportunities available in India, such as in the Cyber Valley of India, for those who possess the necessary skills (16m16s).
• The job market is changing, with some jobs being replaced by technology, such as the use of drones in photography and videography, which has replaced the need for helicopter pilots and cameramen (17m8s).
• According to economic data, 60% of existing employment will not remain the same after 10 years, highlighting the need for people to equip themselves with skills such as artificial intelligence (17m28s).

AI in Everyday Life and Its Potential Pitfalls

• Artificial intelligence is already being used in various aspects of life, including AI assistants like Siri, Alexa, and Maya, and features like autocorrect, which can sometimes lead to humorous mistakes (18m5s).
• The use of autocorrect can lead to errors, as seen in the example of a boy who typed "I want indaver" but autocorrect changed it to "I want underwear" (18m40s).

The Importance of Critical Thinking and Creativity in the Age of AI

• As a student, it's essential to focus on evaluating data and analysis, rather than just relying on the information provided, to develop critical thinking skills (18m55s).
• Despite visiting various classrooms around the world, including those in America, Scandinavia, Luxembourg, and several Asian countries, it's clear that student life is similar everywhere, and creativity is a crucial aspect that artificial intelligence can sometimes hinder (19m23s).
• Artificial intelligence can be a useful tool, but it's up to the student to use it smartly and not rely solely on it for remembering information (19m45s).
• Teachers have a significant responsibility in guiding students on how to effectively use AI and its tools, such as ChatGPT (19m57s).
• ChatGPT was initially met with fear, with concerns that it would replace human jobs, but it's ultimately up to teachers to motivate students to use the tool to their advantage (20m3s).
• The responsibility of teachers is to ask questions that motivate students to think beyond the capabilities of ChatGPT (20m28s).

The Potential and Ethical Considerations of AI Tools

• A visit to the ashram of Sandipani, where Lord Krishna and Sudama received their education, revealed an old book with outdated illustrations, which was rewritten and redesigned within 48 hours using AI tools, showcasing their potential (20m41s).
• However, students must follow a standard protocol when using AI, as it's not suitable for those under 18 years old to use without guidance (21m16s).

The Good and Bad Aspects of Artificial Intelligence

• Artificial intelligence has both good and bad aspects, with the good including accessibility, independence, and the ability to access knowledge from renowned universities worldwide (21m35s).
• The bad aspects include the need to secure privacy, as putting personal information on public platforms can be detrimental (22m8s).
• Some countries, such as those in Scandinavia and Australia, are re-evaluating their use of digital devices and social media, with some banning them for those under 16 years old (22m21s).
• Parents from older generations may not be familiar with technology and AI, making it essential for 21st-century students to be aware of these issues and take responsibility for their own digital literacy (22m42s).

Examples of AI in Action and Its Impact on Independence

• A girl initially found it difficult to install a channel of her choice using a remote with voice command, but after 10-11 days, she was able to give commands and was happy to have the independence to choose her videos, thanks to artificial intelligence (23m17s).
• Artificial intelligence can also be seen in the way airlines and hotels provide personalized recommendations and offers, such as suggesting hotels and taxis after booking a ticket, and even hiking prices if they notice people frequently checking rates (23m46s).
• However, there are also drawbacks to relying on artificial intelligence, such as the potential for companies to increase prices based on user data, and the possibility of being misled by false information, as seen in an incident where a boy in Germany fooled Google Maps by putting 70 mobile phones in a cart, causing it to show a traffic congestion (24m22s).

The Future of AI and Its Implications for the Economy and Employment

• Despite these drawbacks, artificial intelligence presents a significant opportunity, especially for the younger generation, who are the potential drivers of the country's economy, with the Prime Minister aiming for a 5 trillion economy (25m5s).
• The Avenue of employment opportunities at the international level is unlimited, and it is recommended that individuals equip themselves with AI to grab these opportunities, especially as the National Education Policy aims to achieve sustainable development goal 4 by 2030 (25m17s).