The teacher's struggle in the age of AI
We are living in a society where artificial intelligence (AI) increasingly manages every aspect of daily life. AI is no longer just a convenient tool; it has evolved into an agent with cognitive intelligence, capable of addressing almost any task we ask of it. This rapid development is overwhelming, and its capacity often feels unbelievable. Only last year, many of us were amused by AI apps that generated youthful images of ourselves. Yet the pace of its evolution has been so fast that ordinary people — especially the elderly — struggle to keep up, let alone imagine what comes next.
As a former high school English teacher, I am deeply concerned about the impact of AI on education. In my teaching days, students were expected to memorize vast amounts of material. But in an AI classroom, this storage-and-retrieval model seems increasingly futile. Instead, students may engage in immersive activities using virtual reality or AI-powered chatbots: conversing with AI in English, exploring a virtual marketplace or responding to simulated emergencies. These activities foster confidence and fluency by offering authentic communication experiences beyond rote memorization.
The challenge, however, lies in introducing such pedagogy into real high school classrooms. Our rigid, credit-based system pushes students to focus on test scores for college admission. While most teachers would agree that AI-based classes are more effective for language learning, applying them in practice is far more difficult. It is, in truth, easier said than done — and this is the struggle that teachers face today.
I recall a similar challenge when performance tests were first introduced in high schools. Language learning involves four skills: reading, writing, listening and speaking. Reading and writing were assessed through written exams, while listening and speaking were to be tested through performance assessments. Teachers devised oral test questions and tried to implement them, but the repercussions were immense. Issues of equity, teacher capacity and students’ psychological stress quickly emerged. Ultimately, speaking tests were abandoned and only listening performance tests authorized by the Educational Board remain today. With this history in mind, I believe AI-based English teaching will be even more daunting.
Some pundits argue that in the AI era, teachers should serve primarily as facilitators and mentors. Yet under the harsh realities of grading and intense parental pressure in Korean society, this vision seems nearly impossible. While AI may reduce the burden of preparing lessons, teachers now confront the barrier of individualized teaching. AI adapts to each student’s ability, encouraging them to tackle advanced problems. But can students of vastly different academic levels study together effectively? Even if they can, how should they be tested? Our education system remains rigid: Regardless of individual capacity, all students take the same standardized exams. As a result, most students will focus only on test-related materials, sidelining AI-generated customized learning.
Considering these barriers, the agony of today’s teachers may be even greater than what I once experienced. I trust that they will overcome these obstacles with wisdom. Their relentless efforts to improve teaching will endure and they will remain cherished figures in the minds of their students.
Lee Eung-tae (eungtae@gmail.com) is a former high school teacher who taught English for 35 years.