AI: The New Calculator Transforming Learning and Skill Sets

Carlotta A. Berry, PhD
Jul 21
5 min read

Updated: Aug 13

Embracing AI in Education

Calling AI “the new calculator” isn’t hyperbole. It truly will transform learning and skill sets.

I recall when calculators first arrived. There was an uproar about students becoming overly dependent on them. Many feared that calculators would become crutches. Students might lose valuable math skills. I even made social media posts about this topic as part of my #EngineeringProfessorAdvice series. I emphasized that students need to sanity check their results. After all, #GarbageInEqualsGarbageOut. A calculator can give you the wrong answer due to a simple error or if you don’t follow the order of operations. Remember PEMDAS? It stands for Parentheses, Exponents, Multiplication, Division, Addition, and Subtraction.

Pink TI-84 calculator with math expression on the screen — TI-84 PLUS Pink Calculator showing math solution for 9/2(1+2)

PEMDAS still haunts us today. Every few months, math wars erupt on social media over the correct answer to equations. For instance, what is the answer for 6/2(1+2)? People nearly come to virtual blows over whether the answer is 1 or 9. When I’ve had enough drama, I dust off my pink TI-84 calculator and create a tutorial post on the order of operations. The answer is 9, by the way (whispers in the voice of my 7th-grade Algebra teacher).

"We shouldn’t fear technology in the classroom. We must teach students how to use it thoughtfully, critically, and confidently."

The Importance of Mental Math

This is why estimation and mental math skills are so vital. What does your gut say? Does that answer feel correct, or is it way off? I tell my students that they don’t have to input everything into their calculators. There’s also a good one right on their shoulders.

Now, years later, everyone has a calculator in their pocket. Guess what else is already there? Did Siri overhear your last conversation about needing a new coffee maker and show you the latest Keurig ad when you opened Facebook? Hmmm 🤔.

Valid Concerns About AI

While there are valid concerns about AI, such as stealing intellectual property, job loss, academic integrity, energy use, and bias, it’s important to emphasize that AI is here to stay. Therefore, we must shape how it is used to mitigate any damage, particularly against protected classes.

As a roboticist, my relationship with AI is unique. We use it to create robot control architectures. For a robot to complete tasks or reach goals, we rely on three primitives: sense, plan, act. The organization of these primitives in software creates behaviors, which is the robot’s artificial intelligence. Simply put, I cannot do what I do without AI.

AI is often discussed in ways that feel exclusionary or intimidating. Since my business motto is #MySTEMIsForTheStreets, my goal is to demystify AI. I want to take AI from being a mystical tech monster to something everyone can understand and respect. I aspire to democratize AI and robotics. Those who choose to use it should do so thoughtfully and creatively. At its core, AI is about patterns, prediction, and problem-solving.

Fears & Concerns About AI

Skills Degradation

Instead of viewing this concern negatively, the advent of AI and robotics presents an opportunity. We can elevate higher-order thinking and skills beyond what AI, robots, or calculators can do. For example, we can enhance perception, design, troubleshooting, and problem-solving so that we ask better questions.

Academic Integrity

AI has taken over where Chegg, Wikipedia, and textbook solutions left off. Students will use these tools if they exist. Therefore, our job as educators is to teach them how to use these resources responsibly. This includes how to vet and evaluate anything produced by AI, as it can mislead users. We must also teach ethical ways to use AI for activities like brainstorming, organizing, and critical thinking.

Bias in AI

AI learns from data in the world, which contains bias and prejudice. This bias can show up in algorithms. Thus, it is vital to train AI on diverse, unbiased, and extensive data to avoid perpetuating stereotypes. AI must be accessible to everyone to prevent widening the digital divide based on socioeconomic factors. This requires promoting diversity in development teams, data cleaning, and bias training.

Job Loss

Similar to concerns about skills degradation, adopting AI and robotics presents opportunities. We can elevate skill sets for better job opportunities. By moving into these new positions, we can lead in tech fields instead of being isolated by fear of technology.

Copyright Infringement & Energy Loss

To ensure AI is used appropriately, we need a universal policy. This requires government and legislation to catch up with technology. We must set policies for transparency regarding how data is used, when an algorithm is biased, and how it will be utilized.

AI For Good

Now that we’ve discussed some of the negative aspects, let’s explore the positive side of AI.

Representation Matters

One way I use AI is for Afrofuturism. It helps young people envision the future they seek in STEM and other careers. To see an example of this, please check out this Twitter X post.

Efficiency

AI assists in automating tasks, such as organizing large amounts of data or categorizing information into affinity groups.

Adaptive Learning and Tutoring

AI can create quizzes, notes, and summaries of course materials or technical literature.

Decision Making

AI processes substantial amounts of data to summarize information, leading to more effective decision-making.

Natural Language Interaction, Translation, and Literacy

AI provides excellent tools for translating text to speech, speech to text, and between different languages.

Robotics Coding and Simulation

AI helps test algorithms before making significant investments in physical hardware.

Improving Accessibility

AI offers screen readers, note-taking, captioning, and voice capture.

AI art of black kids doing STEM — Using AI Art to Envision a Diverse Future of STEM

Final Thoughts for Indy Women in Tech Week

AI is a tool for change. Just as calculators revolutionized education, AI will introduce smart, accessible tools. AI is already embedded in search engines, customer service, and our phones. The question is whether we will fight it or embrace it and shape it. AI isn’t going anywhere, so it’s time to lead it or step aside. It is more than a trend; it is part of our future.

We must identify and address bias, be present on design teams, and have a voice in how these tools are used. We will either be in the room where the scripts are written or where the action happens, or we will be written into them.

As we celebrate Indy Women in Tech Week, let’s move beyond hashtags and headlines. We need to understand what AI is and what it is not. This means approaching this technology with skepticism, coding with compassion, and implementing with inclusion.

In conclusion, as an engineer and educator, I aim to present emerging technologies in a way that helps people see themselves in STEM. "When girls and Black and Brown youth recognize that they belong in STEM, they are empowered to create the equitable and accessible solutions of tomorrow."

— Dr. Carlotta Berry, NoireSTEMinist®