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AI agents are something of concern for OpenAI, Google, and any other players. "AI agents" are software programs designed to perform specific tasks or solve problems by using artificial intelligence techniques. These agents can work autonomously or with minimal human intervention, and they're capable of learning from data, making decisions, and adapting to new situations.

Gartner suggests that agentic AI is the most important strategic technology for 2025 and beyond. The tech analyst predicts that, by 2028, at least 15% of day-to-day work decisions will be taken autonomously through agentic AI, up from 0% in 2024. Does that excite or frighten you?

They can automate processes, analyze data, and interact with users or other systems to achieve specific goals. You probably already interact with them in applications (Siri or Alexa), customer service chatbots, and recommendation systems (Netflix or Amazon). They may be less obvious to you when using an autonomous vehicle or a financial trading system.

There are many categories into which we might place these agents because there are different types of AI agents, each with unique capabilities and purposes:

Here are some possible categorizations:

Reactive agents respond to specific stimuli and do not have a memory of past events. They work well in environments with clear, predictable rules.

Model-based agents have a memory and can learn from past experiences. They use this knowledge to predict future events and make decisions.

Goal-based agents are designed to achieve specific goals. They use planning and reasoning techniques to determine the best actions to take to reach their objectives.

Utility-based agents consider multiple factors and choose actions that maximize their overall utility or benefit. They can balance competing goals and make trade-offs.

Learning agents can improve their performance over time by learning from their experiences. They use techniques like machine learning to adapt to new situations and improve their decision-making abilities.You could also categorize agents in other ways, for example, in an educational contex.

For personalized learning, agents can adapt educational content to meet individual students' needs, learning styles, and pace. By analyzing data on students' performance and preferences, AI can recommend personalized learning paths and resources. In a related way, intelligent tutoring systems can provide one-on-one tutoring by offering explanations, feedback, and hints the way that a human tutor might. They might even be able to create more inclusive learning environments by providing tools like speech-to-text, text-to-speech, and translation services, ensuring that all students have access to educational content. By analyzing students' performance data, they could identify at-risk students and provide early interventions to help them succeed.

AI agents can automate administrative tasks for faculty, such as grading, attendance tracking, and scheduling, freeing up educators' time to focus more on teaching and interacting with students.

Agents can "assist" in creating educational materials. I would hope faculty would be closely monitoring AI creation of tests, quizzes, lesson plans, and interactive simulations.

Though I see predictions of fully AI-powered virtual classrooms that can facilitate remote learning, I believe this is the most distant application - and probably the one that most makes faculty apprehensive.

Schools are instituting bans on cell phones in classrooms. These bans aim to create a more focused, interactive, and supportive learning environment for students. But they are certainly controversial. Some large school districts like Los Angeles Unified School District and New York City Public Schools are looking to or have already implemented district-wide cellphone bans. Though this is more common in K-12 classroom, in higher education there are examples of individual faculty, certain courses or departments that have initiated bans.

The reasons generally given for these bans include:

Reducing Distractions: Cell phones can be a significant source of distraction for students, leading to decreased focus and engagement in class

Improving Academic Performance: Studies suggest that limiting cell phone use in classrooms can lead to better academic outcomes, as students are more likely to pay attention and participate in lessons

Enhancing Social Interaction: Banning cell phones encourages face-to-face communication and interaction among students, which is crucial for developing social skills.

Preventing Cyberbullying: Cell phones can be used to facilitate cyberbullying of students, faculty and administration, and removing them from the classroom can help create a safer environment

Promoting Mental Health: Excessive screen time and social media use have been linked to mental health issues in young people. Reducing cell phone use in schools can help mitigate these effects

When cell phones first became more prevalent with students (starting with college students and working down to high school and now younger students) there were individual teachers who instituted bans on using them in class. There were also teachers who promoted the wise use of them in their courses. The cons side of this also has good reason against banning cell phones from classrooms

As Educational Tools: Cell phones can be powerful educational tools, providing access to learning apps, online resources, and educational videos that can enhance the learning experience.

For Emergency Communication: Cell phones allow students to quickly contact parents or emergency services in case of an emergency, providing an added layer of safety.

Developing Digital Literacy: In today's digital age, students need to learn how to use technology responsibly. Allowing controlled use of cell phones in the classroom can help develop these skills.

Access to Information: Cell phones enable students to instantly look up information, conduct research, and verify facts during lessons, promoting active learning.

Inclusivity: For students with special needs, cell phones can provide necessary accommodations, such as text-to-speech applications and other assistive technologies.

Organizational Tools: Many students use their phones to keep track of assignments, deadlines, and schedules through calendar apps and reminders.

Parental Contact: Parents can directly communicate with their children, which is reassuring for both parties, especially in cases of schedule changes or family emergencies.

A web search will turn up lots of articles on the pros and cons of cell phone use and bans on their use in classrooms.
https://congressionaldigest.com/pros-and-cons-of-banning-cellphones-in-schools/
https://news.harvard.edu/gazette/story/2023/03/experts-see-pros-and-cons-to-allowing-cellphones-in-class/

 

.Coursera’s CEO, Jeff Maggioncalda, says leveraging AI in online learning is key to a more accessible, flexible education experience. Coursera is a major platform for free and paid, non-credit and credit learning opportunities. Remember MOOCs? The term isn't in as wide usage as it was a decade ago but Coursera was an early serious player in that space and still offers short-form training and master’s degrees from Ivy League institutions like the University of Pennsylvania.

While many in education have been worrying about how AI is and will impact teaching and learning, online providers and course designers have been more likely to embrace AI tools.

Generative AI is good at language translations and Coursera who now has 4,200 courses translated into 17 languages as AI has made the translations easier and more affordable. They have also experimented with using AI for a personalized learning companion (chatbot) named Coach where students can ask for help on a concept, to create practice problems, or summarize activities. It won’t give users the answer, especially during testing.

For course designers, it can create outlines, write learning objectives, and compile lessons into new courses.

Coursera works with partners who can make content available for free.

When I was studying to become a teacher in the 1970s, the only "apprenticeships" were my student teaching experiences. At Rutgers, I went into secondary classrooms in a limited way in my sophomore and junior years and did my "student teaching" every day for an entire 15-week semester as a senior.

You might associate apprenticeships as a way of enabling students to learn by doing, but it is often used with vocational training where a more experienced tradesman or journeyman models behavior and provides feedback when the student attempts what was shown.

A teaching apprenticeship is a program that allows prospective teachers to work in schools while earning a paycheck and getting training. Apprenticeships are paid programs that can last one to three years. They offer on-the-job learning, mentorship, and a postgraduate-level qualification without tuition fees.

Alternate route programs for teachers are designed for people who want to become certified teachers but have not completed a formal teacher preparation program at an accredited college or university.

Where I live in New Jersey, the Alternate Route Teaching Certificate Program is a two-year program that includes 400 hours (24 credits) of education courses. The program is also known as the Provisional Teacher Process (PTP). The program is designed for people who have earned an Instructional Certificate of Eligibility (CE) and have been provisionally hired by a New Jersey public school district. Alternate route teachers earn a Certificate of Eligibility (CE). 

The program accommodates student schedules as they teach in a full-time teaching position simultaneously while completing required coursework. To pursue an alternative teaching program, you typically need to possess a bachelor's degree at minimum.

An article on The Future of Teaching Apprenticeships, discusses how apprenticeships provide an innovative way for educators to experience real-life challenges and hone their professional skills. They allow aspiring educators to gain hands-on experience, mentorship, and practice in actual classrooms.

Educator apprenticeships strongly emphasize mentorship, pairing novices with experienced educators who serve as their guides throughout the program. Unfortunately, there are few programs like this for higher education teachers.

This mentor-mentee relationship allows apprentices to benefit from the wisdom and expertise of seasoned professionals while also receiving ongoing support, constructive feedback, and opportunities to reflect on teaching practices. The mentor model is not new and is cited as a best practice, according to the Educator Prep Lab at the Learning Policy Institute, and is backed by a rich evidence base that prioritizes educator retention in the profession and other similar factors championed by teacher residency programs.