Teachers' group weigh in on tech devices, AI in schools

GMA Network

a day ago

Are cellphones and artificial intelligence beneficial or detrimental to students' learning? For the Alliance of Concerned Teachers (ACT), the answer depends on how they are used.
At a press conference on Tuesday, Alliance of Concerned Teachers (ACT) National Capital Region president Ruby Bernardo acknowledged that cellphones and tablets are already part of daily classroom realities, especially in public schools where traditional learning materials are lacking.
'Sa actual na situation sa classroom, dahil kulang ng learning material... ginagamit ang cellphone, tablet sa ilang references—paggamit ng modules online, PDFs, at iba pa,' said Bernardo.
(In the actual classroom situation, because of the lack of learning materials, cellphones and tablets are used as references—accessing online modules, PDFs, and so on.)
She explained that teachers and students alike turn to digital devices to access supplemental learning content such as YouTube videos and online modules.
'Ginagawa naming pamamaraan din 'yan para dagdagan… panonood ng DepEd TV at iba pang reference material,' Bernardo said.
(We use them as a way to add more resources—like watching DepEd TV and other reference materials.)
She said the challenge lies in guiding students on how to use them responsibly.
AI as a learning aid
AI tools, now increasingly accessible to both students and teachers, can help in tasks like translation and cultural research, according to Bernardo.
'May mga pagkakataon na nakakatulong din talaga siya… halimbawa in terms of research sa kultura,' she said.
(There are times when it's really helpful—for example, in cultural research.)
Incoming ACT party-list Representative Antonio Tinio echoed this perspective, stating that AI is already being explored in universities and colleges. Instead of banning its use, institutions are trying to understand how it can enhance the delivery of education.
'Tinitingnan natin paano talaga siya makakatulong sa mga estudyante in further learning and advancement sa knowledge production,' Tinio said.
(We're looking at how it can really help students in further learning and advancing knowledge production.)
'Ang hamon ngayon ay paano magagamit ang AI bilang pantulong sa pagtuturo at pagkatuto ng mga estudyante,'' he said.
(The challenge now is how to use AI as a support for teaching and student learning.)
'Kailangang matuto ang mga estudyanteng Pilipino na gumamit nito… sa paraan na hindi magiging sagabal sa learning o pagtuturo,' he added.
(Filipino students must learn to use it in a way that does not hinder their learning or teaching.)
Bernardo emphasized that the key is not to discourage the technology but to find ways to incorporate it into lesson plans that promote critical thinking and genuine understanding.
The Department of Education (DepEd) said that there are now existing programs to train teachers on how to effectively and ethically integrate AI tools into their teaching methods.
'We have the E-CAIR, developing policies, and we launched Khanmigo for schools, which has AI, last December,' Education Secretary Sonny Angara told GMA News Online in a Viber message.
Launched in February, the Education Center for AI Research (E-CAIR) aims to revitalize basic education by developing AI-driven tools that enhance teaching, learning, and school administration.
Khanmigo, meanwhile, is an AI-powered teaching and learning assistant. Developed by Khan Academy, the AI tool is free to all teachers and learners nationwide. —VBL, GMA Integrated News