Don’t let AI steal the learning process. The role of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in Education should be about prioritizing the learning PROCESS over the end product or rote knowledge acquisition. AI is transforming industries worldwide, and education is no exception. From personalized learning to data-driven insights, AI offers tools to enhance learning experiences. However, unlike the private sector, where outcomes and products often drive innovation, education emphasizes the learning process itself—an essential distinction. I would argue that true learning involves exploration and mistake-making—essential components of the process-oriented nature of education (Zhao, 2020). AI in schools should support this ethos by encouraging inquiry-based learning and providing formative feedback, rather than just rewarding final products.
What is AI? AI is software that can perform tasks that would typically require human intelligence. Ideally, it is a tool/assistant that allows the world’s information (knowledge) and makes it universally accessible. AI Chatbots are based on a data set [LLM – Large Language Models] and it trains itself on that data set; constantly looking for patterns and connections. This, in turn allows it to make predictions, while learning and improving with practice. Tasks include understanding and processing language, recognizing patterns, making decisions, and solving problems. AI has actually been around for a while; spell check, “Turnitin.com”, “Grammarly”, “Siri”, “Alexa”, etc.
How will AI affect productivity (The Brookings Institute) [What else can AI do?]
AI will not hinder the education process, nor is it a zero-sum game. AI’s potential is limitless and we need to adapt to it. How does AI impact how we prepare students for their future? AI tools like adaptive learning platforms, automated assessment systems, and virtual tutors are reshaping traditional learning environments. Applications such as ChatGPT, Google Gemini, Gamma, NotebookLM, or Khan Academy’s AI-driven tutors help personalize instruction by identifying individual student needs and tailoring content accordingly. These tools empower teachers by automating administrative tasks, enabling them to focus on deeper, student-centered instruction.
In Brick Schools, we utilize AI as a tool for delivery of instruction that promotes our District’s vision and mission. Our District Vision is “Student-Centered, Teacher-Led, Community-Connected”. Our hope is that we, as an organization, can make all decisions that are “student centered”, implement those decisions through our faculty with fidelity, and connect / communicate those decisions with our community – we will be successful. Student-Centered instruction implies that differentiation and personalized learning is a priority and AI can support teaching in helping create dynamic lessons tailored to students’ individual needs. By automating routine administrative tasks, teachers are afforded with more time to build stronger relationships with their students and focus on increased student engagement. Community-Connected education can utilize AI to promote digital citizenship and support project-based/service-learning initiatives, as well as strengthen home-school connections through more efficient communication (i.e., multilingual support, etc.). Organizational policies can ensure the ethical and legal use of AI, and policymakers must remain vigilant about the ethical use of AI,
True learning has always been a process. While AI in the private sector often prioritizes measurable outcomes, such as increased efficiency or revenue, or profit maximization; education values the learning journey. The emphasis in education is on fostering critical thinking, creativity, collaboration, and resilience—skills that are not easily quantified. For instance, in teaching and learning, a student’s ability to reflect on their thought process when solving a problem or iteratively improve a project is as crucial as arriving at the correct answer. AI’s role in education is not to mimic the private sector’s focus on products and outcomes but to enrich the journey of learning. By leveraging AI tools to support the learning process, educators can nurture students’ growth, adaptability, and curiosity—skills essential for thriving in a rapidly changing world.
What skills are relevant? Businesses’ top 10 skill priorities for 2027 (World Economic Forum).
The private sector can benefit from AI as a superior marketing research tool, information gathering, data synthesizing, and much more. Before AI, you had to have the data existing, mine the data, and create a database, in order to synthesize the information. Now with AI, the entire Internet is your data and AI can synthesize and correlate the information for you in an instant. Engaging all stakeholders with constant and creative communication mechanisms will not only connect an organization but help improve the bottom line as well. To strike a balance, AI needs to align with the goals of education and the future of industry; ensuring equitable access and preventing over-reliance on automation that might detract from the human connections. Implementation should focus on enhancing the teaching and learning process in education, rather than replacing it with rote knowledge. Tools that offer dynamic feedback, foster collaboration, and allow for student agency can complement educators’ efforts to cultivate lifelong learners. When used thoughtfully, AI can amplify the process-oriented goals of education, preparing students not just for jobs but for a lifetime of learning.
The learning process helps students to grow academically, socially, and emotionally. For all the hype about AI replacing teachers, the reality is that teachers/instructors/coaches/mentors are irreplaceable. It is a deeply human endeavor. The great ones who can leverage this human element through authentic learning and relationship-building will ultimately prepare students for an unpredictable world forged by AI. References provided on request
About the author: Dr. Farrell is currently the Superintendent of Schools for the Brick Township Public Schools District in New Jersey. He has served in this capacity for six years and is in his thirteenth year overall as a Superintendent. He received his Doctorate of Education Degree in Leadership from Monmouth University.
