When people think about AI and school together, the first thought that often comes to mind is cheating. The recent development in technology has allowed students to receive a high grade while putting in minimum effort. Nowadays, if a student doesn’t feel like writing their essay, they could automatically generate one with AI. However, because of its bad rep, students tend to overlook its potential for studying as they get so caught up in how AI can be used for cheating. In reality, AI can foster growth and learning, making it easier for students to study while still maintaining academic integrity.
Tip #1: Generating a personalized schedule can help you stay focused and organized.
AI tools can create personalized schedules that help you manage your to-do list. By dividing your workload into smaller tasks with set time intervals, you can avoid procrastination and increase productivity. This particular strategy, often referred to as time-blocking, forces the user to focus on one activity at a time and eliminates the need to spend extra time on deciding what task to tackle next. Utilizing this technique also encourages prioritization and organization, ensuring that users are less likely to put things off for later. An article published by the Capitol Technology University states that AI-generated schedules help students stay on track by providing them with a schedule that makes studying more manageable. Students are more likely to study over the course of multiple days with the help of a schedule, reducing the need to cram and pull constant all-nighters. Making a study schedule is fairly simple, but there are a few important things to keep in mind. First, make sure that the schedule is personalized and set specifically for your needs; tell your AI when you feel the most alert, whether it’s right after school or late at night. Second, list all the subjects that you need to study for, as well as an estimate of how long you want to spend on each one. Lastly, remember to adjust when necessary. The schedule should be rigid yet flexible, allowing you to complete all your work and still have enough time for breaks.
Tip #2: Ask AI for explanations and resources to facilitate effective studying.
In the midst of studying, we often come across challenging questions. AI can provide us with clear and concise explanations by breaking down the question into multiple steps. This way, if you don’t understand a specific part of the question, you can ask for clarification by making a direct call to the step that refers to the specific area of confusion. AI can also help us locate resources and study materials whether it’s in the form of articles or videos. Ask for resources that help you understand concepts faster and are better suited to your learning styles. For example, if you are a visual learner, asking AI to find videos or detailed charts can make it easier to stay engaged in your studies. Catering to learning preferences increases your memory retention and helps you stay motivated. According to data scientist Sahin Ahmed, MSc, personalized learning helps you stay engaged as tailoring to your learning styles makes learning seem more enjoyable and interesting. While AI is helpful in its ability to provide us with explanations and resources, it’s important to always fact-check the given information through cross-referencing as it can often generate inaccurate information and false resources.
Tip #3: AI can gather and compile notes to help you save time and study.
Students commonly use AI to condense information and create notes for studying. By inputting their lectures, assignments, and textbook notes, students can identify key concepts and ask AI to present them in ways that are easier to understand and interact with. Analyzing the inputted data, AI utilizes machine learning algorithms to detect patterns within the text and pinpoint key information. Summaries are then created in correspondence with the information, allowing students to focus on the bigger picture and make connections rather than wasting their time obsessing over the insignificant details. An example of a summarizing AI software includes Notebook LM, an AI-powered tool that generates podcasts based on inputted documents. With tools like Notebook LM, students can learn to have fun in their studies with creative summaries that facilitate engagement and interest. AI is also helpful for note taking. By using AI softwares like OtterAI, students can record and transcribe their notes, allowing them to concentrate on the lecture and direct their focus to understanding the material. According to an article published by the Wilfrid Laurier University, students often find that active listening helps them stay focused and engaged as opposed to mindlessly copying down notes. Transcribing AIs are often flawed however, as they can have trouble detecting speech in some cases. You may find that when reviewing the notes generated by AI, there are some sentences that differ completely from what your teacher originally said and some that sound like complete gibberish. To avoid missing out on key information, make sure to compare notes with your friends or ask your teacher questions. In addition, get permission from your teacher first if you plan on using AI note-taking since many teachers have a strict policy against AI for class use.
Tip #4: Create AI-generated practice problems and engage in active learning
Practice tests allow students to locate knowledge gaps and test their comprehension. As a form of active learning, practice questions encourage students to engage directly with the material and forces them to actively recall information from their memory. A study conducted by the University of Colorado Denver reveals that, “active recall through quizzes or flashcards strengthens neural pathways, making it easier to retrieve that information later.” To generate practice questions, students should first input their test topics into the AI software, then ask for practice questions based on the most important parts. The questions should stimulate a variety of different formats and difficulty levels to ensure that students are prepared for whatever their teachers might throw at them. Despite the importance of AI-generated practice in our studies, it can often be inaccurate. Students should double-check the questions with their classmates or their teacher to avoid misleading information. Following this approach allows students to utilize the resources that AI has to offer while still ensuring that they’re being fed accurate information.
AI has become a critical part of our lives, offering many opportunities to improve learning. The software provides students with study material and acts as a personal tutor that keeps them on task. Furthermore, AI facilitates growth and learning through its use of practice problems and concise explanations. Despite the benefits it offers, AI use in education is still very flawed and can often lead to a disruption of academic conduct when misused. When utilizing technology in our lives, it’s important to remember that AI is a tool and should only be used to help us learn, not learn for us.
