Student talents under the microscope of artificial intelligence at Irtiqa Conference

Can artificial intelligence help teachers discover their students' abilities without becoming a substitute for their role?

A question that asserts itself strongly as the rapid expansion of AI technologies in education continues, and it was one of the key topics discussed byInternational Irtiqa Conference (a global forum on education and AI)

The conference kicked off with a select group of experts and specialists in English language teaching and artificial intelligence to discuss the future of education, the latest teaching strategies, and the role of technology in enhancing teacher performance and improving students' learning journeys

From the heart of the conference we had an exclusive interview withProf. Sherif Abdel Moneimthe educational consultant and teacher trainer specializing in integrating artificial intelligence into education

The interview addressed the issue ofemploying artificial intelligence in children's educationfrom an educational perspective that prioritizes building the child's skills before being dazzled by tools and tech applications

During the interview, Prof. Sherif affirmedProf. Sherifthat a proper start does not consist of teaching the child as many AI tools as possible

The issue is not about the speed of reaching an answer

but rather in the child's ability to pose the right question, analyze information, compare, experiment, create, then review and discuss what AI offers instead of relying on it entirely

The interview also covered the importance of presenting AI in a way that matches the child's age group while maintaining a balance between digital learning, reading, play, movement, communication, and human interaction

Amid this shift, theteacher remains a pivotal element in the educational process

Technology, no matter how advanced, requires a teacher who can select the appropriate tool and link its use to a genuine educational purpose, helping the student move from merely using the technology to thinking through it consciously and critically

The conference activities did not stop at theoretical discussion

Following the interview, Prof. Sherif presentedProf. Sherif Abdel Moneima practical lecture that addressedhow to leverage artificial intelligence to identify early indicators of students' talents and abilities

During the lecture, participants moved from listening to applying

The exercise began by creating a prompt with ChatGPT to develop a set of questions that gather information about the student's interests, thinking style, and skills evident in their answers

The questions were then turned into an online form using Google Forms and shared with participants, who experienced the process themselves and answered the questions

Then came the most important stage

which is analyzing the responses with artificial intelligence to extractpreliminary indicatorsabout strengths, interests, and skills that may appear in each student's answers

Based on these indicators, a set of activities and steps can be suggested for teachers to draft an initial plan that nurtures strengths and supports skills needing further development

However, using AI in this way does not mean it can definitively determine a student's talent

These results remain supportive indicators that should be read alongside the teacher's observation, professional assessment, and ongoing monitoring of the student, taking into account their age, educational environment, and individual differences

Here emerges one of the conference's key messages

The true value of AI in education does not lie in the number of tools we use, but in how we employ those tools to serve genuine educational objectives

The future of education is not built on AI thinking in place of the student

nor on it replacing the teacher

but ona teacher who knows how to employ technology consciously and a student who possesses the ability to ask questions, think, critique, and create

from the International Irtiqa Conference

Shaimaa Al-Tafahni

Event Today channel

About the author Shaimaa Tafahni is a language teacher holding a CELTA certificate and an IELTS trainer, and the founder of No Limits Academy in Port Said, Egypt, with over 15 years of experience in teaching and school management. She has trained more than 500 candidates for the IELTS exam, and works at the intersection of language learning, artificial intelligence, teacher training and curriculum design.