When I first introduced artificial intelligence (AI) tools into my classrooms in Hsinchu and Taitung, I expected curiosity. What surprised me was how quickly students — and teachers — began reshaping the learning process. The faster we produced content, the faster AI produced alternatives, competing for attention.
However, AI has moved beyond novelty. It has become a coteacher, translator, creative partner and sometimes a mirror of what education is becoming. For English learners, AI’s instant translation, feedback and pronunciation support are transformative. Even kindergarten students use AI flashcards that adapt to their level, allowing them to listen, repeat and build confidence.
Back in 1997, I directed a play the slow way: every cue, line and prop handwritten. It was exhausting, but disciplined. Today, with AI, what took weeks can be generated in minutes — dialogue variations, stage prompts, even alternate endings. It does not replace vision or storytelling, but it lightens the load. Where once I dragged a boulder uphill, I now move with the current. Drama taught me meaning is forged through struggle; AI shows it can also emerge through collaboration between human imagination and machine speed.
AI’s baggage is real. Over-reliance can erode resilience, while surveillance fears raise the question: If AI can do it better, why try?
Yet those challenges create opportunities. We can use AI not just to provide answers, but to push learners to question, critique and stretch beyond the surface.
Ethical concerns remain — privacy, bias, the fine line between assistance and replacement. Teachers, once gatekeepers of knowledge, now serve as curators of how knowledge is applied.
For many Grade 7 students, writing a story in English feels impossible. Some freeze at the first line; others brim with ideas, but cannot form the sentences. To break the block, we used three drafts:
Outline in Chinese — students first shaped their ideas.
Translate and expand with AI — they translated the outline, then used AI to generate a short model paragraph.
Rewrite with their own voice — they rewrote the piece in their own words, borrowing only lightly from AI phrasing.
The results were striking. Hesitant writers gained confidence, and even those who struggled to start found they had something to say. AI did not replace their creativity — it gave them a foothold.
Going forward, AI would not just change what students learn, but how — and why. The memorization-heavy model might finally give way to skills that matter: critical thinking, cross-cultural communication and adaptability.
Taiwan, with its focus on bilingualism and cultural heritage, is uniquely positioned to show how AI can preserve identity while embracing innovation. Teachers would not disappear; they would become more vital. Our task is to humanize technology: to model empathy, guide ethical choices and help students interpret a flood of information. AI can draft essays, but it cannot nurture a child’s purpose or sense of belonging. That remains our domain.
I remind my students: “Language is the tool, culture is the canvas, purpose is the paint.”
AI adds brushes, but it is up to us to decide what picture we are painting.
Understanding AI is a marathon, not a sprint. At times, the most honest response is: “No meaning yet, not sure.” For now, I choose to observe and collect — because tomorrow’s classroom has already arrived.
Casper J. H. Keller is an educator with experience in Asia and Africa. He holds a master’s degree in education and an MBA, and is teaching English and drama at Yuemei Elementary School in Taitung County.
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