Interplay of Learning, Analytics, and Artificial Intelligence in Education by Prof. Dr. Mutlu Çukurova

Artificial Intelligence (AI) in education is more than the application of tools like ChatGPT. This talk presents a multi-dimensional view of AI's role in learning and education, emphasizing the intricate interplay between AI, analytics, and the cognitive processes of learning. The speaker challenges the prevalent narrow conceptualization of AI as stochastic tools, highlighting the cognitive diversity inherent in AI algorithms, and posits that AI can serve as an instrument for understanding human learning. Early learning sciences and AI in Education research, which saw AI as an analogy for human intelligence, have diverged from this perspective, prompting a need to rekindle this connection. The presentation delves into three conceptualizations of AI in education: the externalization of cognition, the internalization of AI models to influence human thought processes, and the extension of human cognition via tightly integrated human-AI systems. Intelligent tutoring systems (ITSs) are examined as instances of the cognitivist approach, which adapts to individual learning needs. The talk also explores the potential dehumanization of learning through AI and the socio-psychological barriers to AI adoption in education. The speaker argues for a balanced view that recognizes AI's limitations and the need for AI systems that support human agency, facilitate the internalization of learning processes, and enhance human cognition without replacing it. The presentation concludes with an advocacy for a broader educational approach that includes educating about AI itself and innovating educational systems to remain relevant in an AI-centric world.