I recently had the honor of presenting at the BMI - Times Higher Education (THE) Brazil International Schools Forum & Workshop in São Paulo to a host of some 35-40 college counselors on the topic of artificial intelligence. I wanted to share some thoughts based on the research I have been conducting and the takeaways from the conference. Here goes…
College counseling is in the midst of a major transformation. For years, the primary focus has been on helping students get into the college of their choice. But the role of the college counselor has changed as the cost of college has continued to rise and the job market has become more competitive. Today, counselors are increasingly being called upon to help students make the most of their college experience and prepare for their future career. And because of how quickly artificial intelligence (AI) is getting better, the counselor's job is changing again, maybe more now than ever before. While the use of AI is still in its early stages, it can already be seen that it will have a significant impact on the profession of college counseling.
What is artificial intelligence?
Artificial intelligence (AI) is the science of designing intelligent machines that can think and act like humans. Common examples of AI include virtual personal assistants like Amazon's Alexa and Apple's Siri, facial recognition systems, and self-driving cars. AI can also be used to sort through large amounts of data to find patterns and correlations that would be hard, if not impossible, for humans to find. AI has been around for a while, but recent improvements in how fast computers can process data and how much data they can store are making it possible for AI to be used in more complex ways. Recently, AI has been in the spotlight because of the release of many types of "generative AI." This is AI that can make different kinds of content, like text, audio, and video. AI systems are now able to understand, analyze, and interpret data in ways that were not possible only a few years ago.
What are the benefits of using artificial intelligence in college counseling?
Using AI in college counseling can provide a number of significant benefits. First of all, AI can be used to automate boring and repetitive tasks, some of which are important for a college counselor to do. Automating tasks—from scheduling meetings to notetaking and record-keeping—let counselors spend more time face-to-face with students. Also, AI can help counselors find patterns in a lot of data quickly and accurately. For example, this can allow counselors to identify students who are at risk of dropping out or missing important deadlines, and intervene before any lasting damage is done. There are, of course, many novel and yet unexplored uses for AI, including, but not limited to, drafting letters of recommendation, providing feedback on written work, and, of course, enabling students to incorporate it to benefit their college processes. Many of these uses are, as of yet, not fully explored, but the technology has already shown unexpected benefits and uses.
What are the challenges of using artificial intelligence in counseling?
While there are many potential benefits to using AI in college counseling contexts, there are also a number of potential challenges that need to be considered. For example, AI systems are only as good as the data they are given. If the data is incomplete, biased, or otherwise inaccurate, any decisions made based on the AI system’s analysis will also be inaccurate. In addition, AI systems are not immune to ethical considerations. An AI system trained on data from a particular group of students may make decisions that favor some students over others based on factors like race, gender, or socio-economic status. It is important for counselors to think carefully about the implications of using AI before adopting the technology. Aside from these vaguer, more general points, the fact that generative AI can write 650-word college essays in a matter of seconds worries many people. While many of these tools are extremely limited in terms of the outcomes they produce, the technology is improving, and the results are stammering. The same is to be said of counselor letters of recommendation. One observation early power users of tools like ChatGPT or Bing have shared is that the outcome of the AI is only as strong as the input, in terms of the user’s prompt. That said, there seems to be an essential skill in need of development in the form of prompt generation.
How will artificial intelligence change the role of the counselor?
It is clear that AI has the potential to change the counselor's job in a big way. First of all, when AI is used in college counseling, counselors might be able to change how they spend their time. For example, they might spend less time on tasks like writing letters and more time with students or doing other things. By automating mundane tasks like keeping track of how students are doing, counselors can spend more time and energy on things that need a human touch. AI can also give counselors more time to think about bigger questions, like how to make college counseling services more fair and open to everyone. AI can help counselors figure out where there are gaps in the counseling process and come up with ways to make sure that all students get the same quality of education and support.
In Conclusion
The future of high school college counseling will be shaped by artificial intelligence. AI has the potential to change the focus of the work of the college counselor in a number of significant ways. In the end, the promised efficiencies will strengthen relationships between counselors and students, which is a very good thing. Even though there are still some ethical concerns to consider, it is clear that using AI in counseling could be enormously helpful. By using AI, counselors can improve the quality of their services and make sure that all students get the same level of help and support. We welcome the coming changes and look forward to seeing how they play out!
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