As artificial intelligence (AI) tools become widely available, earnest discussion of the potential to create efficiencies in workflow sits alongside alarmist fears about the ‘end’ of creativity. Plenty of voices have speculated on their impact on education, at a time when we know more about the foundational importance of the early years. A recent viral video starkly warned parents of the potential risks of a child’s image or voice being manipulated by criminals using content-generative AI. As Playhood is all about bridging the child’s worlds, we wanted to constructively survey some of the opportunities and risks across both the nursery setting and home…

*Generative AI tool* *DALL-E’s vision of a futuristic Montessori classroom…! Well, maybe?*

A *Midjourney rendering of a futuristic Montessori classroom interaction: screen-based learning.*

“Responsive relationships, where humans interpret a range of sensory information in-person face-to-face, are critical to nurturing both brain development and socio-emotional wellbeing… so it’s hard to imagine screen-based interactions ever being able to responsibly replicate this.” — Laura Perfetti, Playhood Head of School.

Our Take:

Both the empirically-validated Montessori approach and recent neuroscience-backed evidence enlighten us that sparking intrinsic motivation in very young children establishes the positive habits of lifelong learning, namely confidently and independently pursuing their curiosity with playful research and experimentation. Young brains are literally constructed by the connections made in their lived experience and highly-attuned educators and engaged parents have the chance to curate the world for children in meaningful, tailored, inspiring ways. That’s it, that’s the art. The art of caring. Songbirds removed from the nest simply cannot learn to sing even when recordings of their parents' song is played to them — ‘serve and return’ interactions are key to child development and perhaps technology can help with this endeavour but there’s surely a clear boundary where loving, immediate, personal feedback loops remain human.

Children often play randomly and unpredictably, and this is key to creativity and innovation. Machine-learning making responsible choices based on what’s gone before lacks the serendipity of our brains. Automating and personalising material output could streamline and enhance learning experiences perhaps… but will it be, well, silly and magical? If we cater to children’s expressed interests we may allow them to go deeper into a topic, but it’s essential to make varying leaps and also go broad. Outschool’s use of licensed characters and brands to motivate children to learn might be a modern solution but it’s also limiting to just hold the mirror up. Good teaching provides ‘stretch and challenge’ via developmentally-appropriate material; a skillset that can take years to master.

How far are we from teaching assistant tools such as the Khan Academy’s ‘Khanamigo’ proving their worth? Feeling comfortable? Empowering better 'parenting' in the same vein, prompting better connection with children, could be a growing use of AI tools for adults. There’s an argument for these to alleviate the administrative burden, creating efficiency (behind the scenes, whereas the headlines tend to focus on the learner-facing output). If forms and communications with parents become increasingly automated by settings, will this be personalisable enough to foster positive, human-feeling relationships with families? Do we perhaps need to understand to what extent parents are embracing AI tools in their own lives before using these on them — another new area with varying degrees of preference for schools to be sensitive to? And finally, parents and educators could really do with clear guidance from a regulatory framework ASAP to navigate all this!

*An exploration of likely scenarios by NESTA.*

Alan Turing suggested that the key to achieving artificial intelligence would be to design a machine that was like a child, not an adult. The real elusive and powerful ‘secret’ of human intelligence is our ability to learn. Both computer scientists and developmental cognitive scientists have been trying to figure out how children learn so much so quickly. The last 30 or so years of neuroscience has revealed children are actually MORE capable than we previously dared imagine. Babies do statistical analysis, discriminate visually and audibly, while preschoolers test out hypotheses with curious logic, and so on. We know what is possible, just not really how (um, or why) just yet.

"Computation is still the best, indeed the only, scientific explanation we have of how a physical object like a brain can act intelligently. But, at least for now, we have almost no idea at all how the sort of intelligence we see in children is possible. Until we do, the largest and most powerful computers will still be no match for the smallest and weakest humans." — Prof. Alison Gopnik.

So in conclusion, while recent advances in AI make accessible to a large audience machine learning to increase our productivity and efficiency as well as educational materials, actually the more we respect the capabilities and creativity of the very youngest members of society, the more we will unlock programming possibilities.

New forms of entertainment and education will potentially be more customised and relevant, perhaps more participative and democratic, if issues of bias can be addressed. Quality, accuracy, fairness remain large challenges.
As with other media that's normalised for them from the start, we are responsible for helping them discriminate, evaluate and understand what they consume (and later, operate), so media and technology literacy and safety will be a curriculum area of increasing importance.
This currently all feels especially screen-based which is contentious for many settings and homes, so perhaps there will need to be more seamless, more haptic and sensory hardware options before we are sure that interaction with technology doesn't detach us further from the wealth of benefits that come from time outdoors, in nature, in-person, in the real world.

By Georgia Norton (human).

*Joyful, personalised AI-powered learning, visualised by DALL-E. When will these get less creepy?!*

What follows is a (lightly-edited) ChatGPT blog post based on a prompt to discuss how Montessori and gentle parenting approaches can consider the opportunities and risks of AI for early childhood. It comes to many of the same human-brain generated conclusions.

Interestingly the copy really seemed to lean towards strong positive arguments for AI, despite no sentiment expressed or requested in the prompt. We refined the prompt to incorporate more balanced critique and analysis:

Embracing AI in Early Childhood Education: A Montessori & Gentle Parenting Perspective

As parents and educators, understanding how Artificial Intelligence (AI) can align with our values empowers us to create enriching learning experiences. The harmonious integration of AI, Montessori principles, and gentle parenting can nurture young minds in a positive and holistic manner, and offer experiences that promote independence, creativity, and emotional well-being as follows:

1. Personalised & Self-Directed Learning:

AI-powered tools can adapt to each child’s unique learning style and interests which resonates with Montessori’s belief in the following the unique child. Choosing their educational path fosters self-esteem and a love for learning.

Potential Risk: Overreliance on AI-driven personalization might limit children's exposure to diverse perspectives and learning styles, hindering their adaptability.
Question for Discussion: How can we strike a balance between personalized AI content and providing opportunities for children to explore different approaches to learning?

2. Respect for the Child’s Pace:

Incorporating AI into educational apps more empathetically respect the child’s individual progress, a cornerstone of both Montessori education and gentle parenting. These tools adapt content to match each child’s developmental stage, avoiding pressure and allowing them to pace themselves more naturally.

Potential Risk: AI could inadvertently pressure children to achieve certain milestones or standards, undermining the importance of natural development.
Question for Discussion: How can we ensure that AI-adapted content encourages learning at a child's pace without imposing unrealistic expectations?

3. Child-Centric Gamified Learning:

Through AI-driven gamified learning experiences, children can actively participate in their education, aligning with the Montessori emphasis on learning through play and exploration. Such experiences create an engaging environment sparking curiosity and intrinsic motivation.

Potential Risk: Excessive use of gamified AI apps might divert children from real-world interactions and play, impacting social and emotional development.
Question for Discussion: How can we use AI gamified learning in moderation to complement, rather than replace, traditional forms of play and interaction?

4. Language Development in a Nurturing Environment:

AI language-learning apps that provide feedback in a responsive and encouraging manner support Montessori’s belief in fostering natural language development in a nurturing environment, respecting each child’s unique language acquisition journey.

Potential Risk: AI language-learning apps may not fully capture the nuances of emotional connection and human interactions essential for language development.
Question for Discussion: How can we balance AI language learning with meaningful interactions between children and caregivers to cultivate language skills effectively?

5. Cultivating Creativity:

AI tools for artistic expression, such as drawing or music composition programs, complement Montessori’s belief in creativity and self-expression. These platforms encourage children to explore their artistic talents in a fun and supportive manner.

Potential Risk: AI-generated creative content might inadvertently stifle children's originality and imagination.
Question for Discussion: How can we foster a balance between using AI tools for creative expression and encouraging children to develop their unique artistic voices?

6. Augmented Reality for Hands-On Exploration:

AI-driven augmented reality experiences offer hands-on exploration that resonates with the Montessori emphasis on sensory learning and discovery. Children can interact with the real world while enjoying educational digital enhancements.

Potential Risk: Excessive reliance on AI-augmented reality experiences might detract from children's direct engagement with the physical world.
Question for Discussion: How can we use AI-augmented reality experiences to enrich hands-on learning rather than replace tangible learning materials?

8. Mindful Assessments:

AI-enabled assessments that provide feedback in a non-judgmental manner align with gentle parenting’s focus on constructive communication and encouragement. Mindful assessments help identify areas of improvement without causing stress or anxiety.

Potential Risk: AI-driven assessments might oversimplify a child's progress, overlooking essential aspects that require a nuanced human perspective.
Question for Discussion: How can we combine AI assessments with qualitative observations by educators and parents to gain a comprehensive understanding of a child's development?

9. Nurturing Emotional Intelligence:

AI tools designed to develop emotional intelligence through recognition of emotions and empathetic responses support the gentle parenting approach of fostering emotional well-being and understanding.

Potential Risk: AI tools may not fully grasp the complexity of human emotions and their nuances.
Question for Discussion: How can we balance AI tools for emotional intelligence with attentive human responses that address a child's unique emotional needs?

10. Family Engagement and Collaboration:

AI can facilitate family engagement in a child’s learning journey, supporting gentle parenting principles that emphasise parent-child collaboration and active involvement in education.

Potential Risk: Excessive reliance on AI for parent-child engagement might compromise the value of genuine, face-to-face interactions.
Question for Discussion: How can we use AI to facilitate family engagement while ensuring that parents remain actively involved in their child's learning journey?

Conclusion:

By fostering a harmonious balance between technology and human interaction, we can embrace AI as a supportive tool in nurturing young minds to become independent, compassionate, and curious learners as they embark on a journey of growth and exploration. Together, we can create a positive and holistic educational environment that prepares our children for a future filled with knowledge, compassion, and joy.

Learning to Learn: the lay of the land on AI and early childhood education.