Jolanta Lesiak is an experienced English teacher with a passion for teaching students at various levels, from pre-schoolers to seniors. Specialising in working with older teenagers and adults, she focuses on the practical use of language and tailoring teaching methods to individual student needs. Her extensive experience stems from working in language schools and public institutions both in Poland and abroad, and she is currently employed at the Polish Central Examinations Board for Foreign Languages of the Ministry of National Defence. She is a proponent of lifelong learning and continuous development. In her work, she emphasises the importance of modern technology, considering its wise use a key element of contemporary education. Email: jlt.lesiak@gmail.com. 

 

Abstract

This article explores the integration of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in education, examining its potential to transform teaching methods and address prevailing hesitations in the field. It links the historical fear of the unknown with contemporary reluctance to adopt new technologies, Ultimately, the article advocates for the strategic use of AI to foster a dynamic educational landscape where continuous adaptation and learning are central.

 

Introduction: Fear and the human condition

In his introduction to the essay Supernatural Horror in Literature, Howard Philips Lovecraft (1927) eloquently stated: “The oldest and strongest emotion of mankind is fear, and the oldest and strongest kind of fear is fear of the unknown.” Remarkably, this insight finds resonance in a classic experiment conducted considerably earlier, in 1873 by Dr Karl Mobius, a German ecologist and zoologist. Dr Mobius employed a rigorous methodology to illuminate behavioural patterns within various facets of individuals’ private and professional lives. His methodology involved placing a substantial pike in a tank of water and providing it with small bait fish to eat. After a while, he divided the tank by inserting a thick glass pane between the pike and the little fish. Known for its ravenous and aggressive eating habits, the pike continued to charge at the small fish, repeatedly smashing into the glass each time it lunged towards its prey. Occasionally, the sheer force of these impacts left the pike so stunned that it would float headfirst for several minutes before regaining composure. Despite repeated agonizing attempts, the pike eventually gave up on capturing the bait fish. Surprisingly, even when Dr Mobius finally removed the glass barrier, the pike and its prey peacefully shared the tank, with the pike only consuming the food offered to it by Dr Mobius. This hesitant and fearful behaviour observed in the pike, rooted in now-outdated presumptions, has since become recognized as “The Pike Syndrome.” 
 

The impact of fear on education

Why do I reference this experiment in my paper? Both Howard Philips Lovecraft and Dr Karl Mobius astutely observed humanity’s vulnerability to fears, insecurities, self-imposed constraints, recollections of past disappointment, and perceived shortcomings. These psychological burdens recurrently impede progress and hinder individuals from embarking on new endeavours. Fear is universal and tangible among children, teenagers and adults alike; it has no specific profession and affects soldiers, doctors, and educators too. In the case of the latter, it is evident how the fear of the unknown, compounded by the ‘Pike Syndrome,’ influences educators’ attitudes towards the integration of Artificial Intelligence in education. As stated by Simon Sinek (2009) in his book Start with Why: How Great Leaders Inspire Everyone to Take Action, it is imperative to highlight this phenomenon and clearly state WHY overcoming fear is pivotal to successfully using Artificial Intelligence in education.  
 

The current state of education: A call for change

The justification for my emphasis on overcoming fear finds further support in the outcomes of the annual Merrimack College Teacher Survey (2022) commissioned by the Winston School of Education and Social Policy at Merrimack College. According to the survey, “the typical teacher works 54 hours per week, 25 hours of which is spent teaching students.” Furthermore, “the survey results suggest a deep disillusionment of many teachers who feel overworked, underpaid, and under-appreciated, with potential implications for a once-in-a-generation shift in the teaching profession.” As the survey results underscore, “the challenge and frustrations that teachers face could take a toll on the profession’s ability to sustain itself in the future.” Thus, a dramatic shift supported by AI is not only desirable but, unquestionably, necessary for the future sustainability of the teaching profession.

 

The Three-box Solution: A framework for innovation

By integrating Howard Philips Lovecraft’s observation, the experiment of Dr Karl Mobius and the aforementioned survey results, in which merely “45% of teachers would advise their younger selves to do it all again”, it becomes clear that educators should trust in AI’s transformative potential and power in education. This transformation can be strategically guided by implementing “The Three-Box Solution” proposed by Vijay Govindarajan, one of the world’s leading experts on strategy and innovation, and the Coxe Distinguished Professor at the Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth College. In his model, Govindarajan suggests that educators should see the education system in the form of three boxes. The first box is the present situation, with current methods, techniques, practices, which are critical for the current success of the organization, but are also responsible for preventing it from adapting to emerging changes and opportunities. Box number two, according to Govindarajan is where the organization can “escape the traps of the past by identifying (…) and abandoning practices, ideas, and attitudes that have lost relevance in a changed environment.” The third box in this model is to generate breakthroughs, explore future challenges and opportunities, where those burnt-out, exhausted educators could find their asylum. The third box is a promise of new ideas, innovation, and creativity. This is definitely the best place to recover from the pike syndrome in order to enhance student development.

 

Implementing AI tools like ChatGPT in education

The concept of “finding asylum,” as highlighted by Govindarajan in his “three-box solution” could effectively incorporate certain Artificial Intelligence tools like ChatGPT. When wisely applied, these tools could streamline instructors’ tasks and, ultimately, contribute to the success of the entire organization, including both teachers and their students. However, this picture-perfect vision of the future presents one significant challenge: the undeniable universality and practicality of such impactful tools will undoubtedly require educators to adapt. By embracing these changes, schools will be able to use these technologies to improve learning outcomes, foster more stimulating learning environments, and better prepare students for problems in the future. In a nutshell, if educators weigh the pros and cons of utilizing these tools, and consider the versatility of technologies such as ChatGPT, they might swiftly realise that these can quickly generate professional responses to challenging emails from irate parents, meticulously tailor lesson plans with exceptional precision, and even compose thoughtful haikus about teaching — all achieved with simple prompts in just seconds. 

 

The challenge of adaptation and the need for agility

Undeniably, amid constant changes and unforeseen challenges, one of the most significant skills needed to succeed with AI technologies is agility in unlearning. This emphasis on unlearning does not diminish the value of lifelong learning, which still remains crucial. However, mere learning might be insufficient in today's rapidly evolving educational environment. The ability to unlearn might be indispensable and serve as a catalyst for innovation. When educators embrace and trust in the power of change, ready to unlearn—when they can let go of old tools, methods, and techniques that once aided but now hinder them—that is when true innovation happens. As quoted by Monika Pryśko (2020) in her book Bój się i działaj, and echoed by American technology executive Sheryl Sandberg: “If you’re offered a seat on a rocket ship, don’t ask what seat!” 
 

References

Lovecraft, H.P., (1927) The Annotated Supernatural Horror in Literature: Revised and Enlarged, Hippocampus Press. 

Govindarajan, V., (2016) The Three-Box Solution: A Strategy for Leading Innovation, Harvard Business Review Press.

Merrimack College School of Education and Social Policy, (2022) Merrimack College Teacher Survey, Merrimack College.

Pryśko, M., (2020) Bój się i działaj [Fear and Act]. Wydawnictwo Pascal.

Sinek, S., (2009) Start with Why: How Great Leaders Inspire Everyone to Take Action, Gardners. 

 

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