Teaching, A.I. and arguing with robots

Economics
 
Generic Faculty Highlight Image

SUMMARY: The future of learning as seen in a project from JMU’s Council for Economic Education.


Two JMU economic educators think students can become more responsible citizens by debating with robots. The project started when the Council for Economic Education had a contractor develop a pilot computer interactive on Social Security. It was tested and perfected, and then the Council looked for a university-based center for economic education to add modules on Medicare and the federal budget. 

That's where JMU's involvement began. William C. Wood and John Kruggel, both from the JMU Center for Economic Education, then authored the automated debates, which have each student pick a persona and argue national economic issues from that artificial person's point of view. Other online personalities respond and students try to decide whether the argument has changed any minds. 

“The students coming through the school systems today are digital natives,” Wood said. “On social media, students will see economic positions immediately 'liked' or attacked with shallow reasoning. This project is a way of approaching students on their own turf -- with a web-based simulation -- and getting them to consider different viewpoints about critical economic issues,” he added, “And the programming won't let them get away with just liking or attacking a position.” 

Kruggel believes that “these simulations provide teachers with a valuable tool to help teach about some of the more complicated and intricate details regarding fiscal policy. This gives students a chance to see how individuals with different backgrounds might perceive different policies, again forcing them to entertain the notion that other people might have legitimate concerns shaped by their individual incentives. Hopefully being exposed to these ideas and the arguments both in favor and against them will help students become better informed citizens and make better decisions for themselves in the future.” 

According to Wood, “Right now we're just seeing the beginnings of using artificial intelligence in education. The AI in the project is pretty basic -- but it hints at what will be possible in the future. Most importantly, the AI can help students interact more meaningfully with their fellow students when the simulation is over.” 

Wood credited Shenandoah Valley Economic Education, Inc. with making the project happen. SVEE is the nonprofit organization that funds the JMU Center’s outreach program. “Because of SVEE’s contribution, we can bring together academic economic knowledge with smart instructional practice and make it work,” he said.

Medicare

The Federal Budget

Back to Top

Published: Friday, January 25, 2019

Last Updated: Thursday, November 2, 2023

Related Articles