Revolutionising History with AI
Posted on Sept 24
posted by Olex.AI
Estimated reading time: 5 mins
Embracing AI For A New Era
As education evolves, we stand at the brink of a new era – one that is not only transforming but revolutionising history with AI. History teachers now face a pivotal moment where traditional teaching meets the power of cutting-edge technology. The challenge? Blending long-established methods with innovative digital tools. While the heart of history remains grounded in the study of ancient civilisations, wars, and pivotal texts, the tools we use are rapidly changing. Among these, artificial intelligence (AI) drives a revolution in how we teach, learn, and interact with historical content.
For many educators, AI is both exciting and intimidating. Can it transform how we teach history, engage students, and assess learning? Ben, the Trust Wide Lead for History at David Ross Education Trust (DRET), thinks it can, and it must.
In a world where critical thinking is increasingly essential, AI offers the potential to transform history. However, as Ben points out, the real challenge lies in ensuring that all schools access these innovations, particularly as some may be left behind due to a lack of resources or awareness.
AI and the Growing Divide
Ben has observed a concerning trend regarding AI adoption in education: “Once I started looking into this, the schools interested in AI have largely been independent or international schools.” This raises questions about equity. State schools, where teachers are often preoccupied with issues like workload and managing large classrooms, aren’t engaging with AI at the same level. Ben notes that “most state history teachers aren’t even thinking about it,” focusing instead on AI’s potential to enable cheating, such as students using AI to complete homework.
However, Ben feels there is a much deeper concern that isn’t being fully appreciated – the rise of disinformation. “AI can target disinformation to the most vulnerable,” he warns. This is a particularly pressing issue in history, a field already susceptible to myth and distortion. AI has the potential to amplify these challenges, with the ability to generate viral content that may not always be rigorously researched or historically accurate.
Transforming Assessment with AI
Beyond these broader societal concerns, Ben has begun to explore practical applications of AI in the classroom, particularly in the area of assessment. He sees potential in tools like Olex.AI, which could help with one of the most time-consuming aspects of teaching history – assessment.
“I think we could develop rubrics that could be adapted based on the focus of the question,” Ben suggests. He envisions a system where rubrics are dynamic, evolving based on student input and feedback. This could streamline the marking process, making it more efficient and consistent across different types of assignments.
One of the most exciting opportunities AI offers is its ability to process vast datasets, something that would have been unthinkable for most history teachers before. Ben references the example of 19th-century paupers’ letters, which would take “three or four lifetimes for a scholar to read.” With AI, however, educators could quickly analyse such extensive data, opening up new possibilities for teaching historical inquiry at a deeper level.
AI Marking: A Smarter Approach
Marking history essays is notoriously subjective, and Ben believes AI could significantly reduce this inconsistency. He is particularly excited about Olex.AI’s potential to free up teacher time: “The most exciting part about Olex is how it could save teachers time without detriment to the quality of marking,” he notes. Teachers would still be able to dip into the AI-generated feedback, allowing them to refine assessment over time, and potentially engage in professional development.
This isn’t just about making the process faster; Ben believes AI could also provide a more consistent baseline for marking, especially when it comes to subjective assessments that require higher-order thinking. This kind of feedback would allow students to understand not only what they got wrong, but how they can improve their analytical and interpretive skills.
A Tool Beyond Assessment
While AI’s role in marking is clear, Ben envisions it playing a much broader role in revolutionising history with AI. He has already begun using AI to help students engage with historical sources. “I’ve played around with GPT in terms of helping it understand how to look at sources,” he says. This could help students recognise bias, assess the reliability of sources, and explore how historians use evidence to construct historical narratives.
Ben emphasises that history is a dynamic field of inquiry. “Most people think history is kind of fixed and sorted,” he reflects, but in reality, it’s a subject open to interpretation. Olex.AI could help students see this by offering new perspectives on historical events, encouraging them to engage with history as an evolving dialogue between past and present.
Navigating the Challenges
There are, of course, challenges to integrating AI into the classroom. Ben acknowledges that the fear of cheating is real, but he suggests simple solutions like in-class writing. This allows teachers to benchmark a student’s abilities, making it easier to spot discrepancies between in-class work and homework potentially influenced by AI.
Moreover, Ben is clear that AI won’t replace teachers. “History is about interpretation, something AI can’t replicate – at least not yet.” While AI can handle data analysis and pattern recognition, it lacks the nuanced human perspective that history demands. Instead, AI should be viewed as a tool that can augment teaching, freeing teachers to focus more on critical thinking and interpretive skills.
Unlocking AI’s Potential
The future of AI in history is promising, but it will require collaboration between educators and technologists to fully realise its potential in revolutionising history with AI. Ben’s insights offer a glimpse into what this future could look like – a world where AI helps history teachers not only save time but also teach more effectively. As he puts it: “If AI can help us navigate massive datasets and free up our time, why wouldn’t we embrace it?”
AI is not about replacing teachers with machines; it’s about enhancing the way history is taught, allowing educators to focus on what really matters -helping students critically engage with the past.
