· ai · 2 min read
A look at Newark Public Schools' test of Khan Academy's Khanmigo, one of the first in the US, and worries the chatbot handles too much of the students' thinking
Newark Public Schools is taking a different approach. It is one of the first school systems in the United States to pilot test Khanmigo, an automated teaching aid developed by Khan Academy, an education nonprofit whose online lessons are used by hundreds of districts. Newark has essentially volunteered to be a guinea pig for public schools across the country that are trying to distinguish the practical use of new A.I.-assisted tutoring bots from their marketing promises.
On the pilot testing of AI tutoring bots in Newark Public Schools:
- The background and context of Khanmigo, an automated teaching aid developed by Khan Academy, an education nonprofit, that uses artificial intelligence to help students solve math and science problems.
- The rationale and approach of Newark Public Schools, the largest district in New Jersey, to volunteer to be a guinea pig for public schools across the country to distinguish the practical uses of new A.I.-assisted tutoring bots from their marketing promises.
- The mixed results and concerns of teachers and students who used Khanmigo in three elementary schools, First Avenue, Tito Rodriguez, and Ms. Drakeford, to learn about fractions, surveys, and statistics. The article describes how the bot’s responses sometimes seemed like direct answers rather than suggestions, and how it sometimes fabricated plausible-sounding misinformation.
- The feedback and improvement of Khan Academy, which said it had corrected the A.I. model to prevent the bot from giving the wrong answer to the same fraction question, and that it was continuing to work on getting the A.I. models to accurately identify misconceptions.
- The challenges and costs of purchasing and maintaining A.I.-enhanced classroom chatbots, which could range from $60 to $10 per student, depending on the district’s use of Khan Academy’s online lessons, analytics, and other services.
- The implications and significance of Newark’s pilot testing for other districts that are vetting A.I. tools for the upcoming school year, and for the broader debate on the ethical and practical aspects of using A.I. in education.