By Edward Acquah
Accra, June 6, GNA – Two information technology (IT) experts have called for the adoption of emerging artificial intelligence (AI) tools and modern technologies to revamp the country’s educational system.
The experts – Dr Ferdinand Katsriku, Associate Professor of Computer Science at the Department of Computer Science, University of Ghana, and Dr Eliel Keelson, Senior Lecturer at the Department of Computer Engineering, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, said AI applications such as ChatGPT would improve the analytical skills of students and help them present ideas in a clear and organised manner.
Delivering separate presentations at the 2023 Ghana Academy of Arts and Sciences’ Public Forum (GAAS) in Accra on Monday, the experts called for more investment in technology and AI infrastructure and training of teachers to enhance their digital literacy skills.
They emphasised the need to equip students with emerging skills set to make them employable in the world of work.
The three-day GAAS Public Forum is on the theme: “The impact of modern technology and artificial intelligence on education delivery.”
Prof. Katsriku said the deployment of AI tools could help create personalised contents that would respond to the individual needs of students.
He said an effective deployment of technological tools could also help to reduce accessibility gaps faced by students in remote communities.
He appealed to the Government to invest in internet accessibility and Infrastructure especially in the rural communities to ensure their inclusiveness in the digital drive.
“The emergence of ChatGPT is going to make a significant impact in what and how we teach, how easy to store and how we should be assessing students.
“We need to understand how AI would transform the education system and which AI is conducive for the classroom and how instructors could adopt AI to improve their teaching techniques.” Prof. Katsriku said.
He urged the Government to engage academic institutions to create innovative tools locally to address challenges in the educational sector.
Dr Keelson said the emergence of digital tools had helped to eliminate barriers to information accessibility and reduced geographical limitations to access to educational materials.
He said personalised learning was one of the main advantages of AI learning, adding that adaptive learning platforms could help students to access tailor-made content.
He identified data privacy and security as among the challenges associated with the use of AI learning tools and recommended the implementation of robust security tools such as encryption and access controls to protect students.
“There are fears that potential overdependence on AI could decline creativity and critical thinking skills.” Dr Keelson said, and recommended that, “we should be mindful about the type of assessment, encourage group works to help uphold the importance of human connection.”
GNA