Mariana Duque / DLA
The incorporation of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in the educational practices of journalism schools and in the media of the state of Táchira has been slow, perhaps non-existent, both due to the resource limitations in the universities, as well as the teachers’ fear of being displaced or of their students not learning.
On its 33rd anniversary, Diario de Los Andes Táchira He turns his gaze towards the School of Social Communication of the University of Los Andes (ULA), core “Dr. Pedro Rincón Gutiérrez.” Students and teachers recognize that they use these tools without adequate training and that within the school, there are no initiatives that incorporate new and old generations to the challenges of Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs).
The lack of updating of the academic curriculum, the absence of computer classrooms with audiovisual equipment and the fact that teachers do not have access to constant training to face technological challenges, are part of the limitations identified by students of the program.
Pensum in arrears
Dixon Rosales, a second-year student, considers that the University of Los Andes is outdated because subjects have not been incorporated into the academic curriculum that trains new generations of journalists on the use of Artificial Intelligence, social networks and multiplatforms. . .
He understands that the lack of money and trained personnel has influenced this situation, but believes that it is urgent that new mentions are also incorporated that allow students to have more opportunities. “The study houses have not been updated to what we should be seeing for this century and another challenge, I think it is the situation in the country that also stops academic progress in many universities,” he adds.
Rosales uses AI to search for texts or precise information about an activity and also to understand dense readings. “You go to Google and it takes so long to search for something specific, it is much easier to ask Artificial Intelligence because it simplifies the topic in a matter of seconds,” he adds.
It is clear that in some cases the results may not be correct, so it always asks the Artificial Intelligence if it is sure of what it presents to it. On a scale of 1 to 10, he considers it to be 8.5 accurate.
But for all young people, AI is not an ally. Luisana Hernández, a student of Social Communication, assures that she becomes “an eight” with this tool, which is why she only uses it to summarize chapters of long books. He also doesn’t consider her a good ally because he believes she encourages laziness. “It takes away their power to analyze, the power to have critical thinking, so more than an ally it is more like a disadvantage that the generation is having today,” he says.
He recognizes that career students and teachers are not trained in new technologies and also believes that it is due to the lack of updating of the curriculum. “It is a total disadvantage and teachers do everything possible to give us a good tool, and to suddenly be able to defend ourselves on social networks and digital media.”
Luis Ortega, a journalism student, uses this tool when he has an accumulation of tasks, but feels that he lacks training and hopes that at some point in his career he will be able to have it. “I like social networks, marketing and everything related to technological advances. So far I have not been able to witness some of the named characteristics, I still don’t know if they will give it later, but I believe and I am sure that teachers must adapt to the new era,” he highlights.
To support his research and understanding of topics and activities, Landy Márquez uses Artificial Intelligence, but he discards it to make the press releases that his journalism teachers request, because he considers that this tool produces editorials with stylistic errors.
“If I put Artificial Intelligence to write for me, I am not going to learn anything, so I prefer to learn, since I consider that by writing it myself, when I send it to the teacher, to the journalist, she is going to point out which These are the details that I must correct.”
Márquez is convinced that the lack of investment in education has led to universities not being up to date with these new journalistic practices. “Through technology, work can be made easier for teachers and understanding can be made easier for students. Make it have audiovisual resources, updated technological devices so that students have different modalities of learning and that learning is more effective.”
Opportunity or challenge for teachers?
Luzfranda Contreras / DLA
AI has taken over the reality of journalism and is useful for translations, transcriptions, speed searches, designs, image creation, among others. Although some people consider that AI will take over multiple spaces in the execution of tasks, others believe that it is a support tool that will not replace human beings, in this case journalists.
Lorena Arráiz, journalist and professor at the University of Los Andes, “Dr. Pedro Rincón Gutiérrez”, says that Artificial Intelligence should be seen as an opportunity or a reinforcement of the knowledge already acquired while studying or practicing Social Communication.
“Communicating is a natural act of human beings and AI can be a tool that expands our knowledge and capabilities,” he comments. Although he recognizes that there are many challenges within this university, Arráiz tries to integrate the use of some technological tools in his radio and visual communication classes, although he explains that at the university they do not have internet, much less advanced technology. .
Despite the limitations, Arráiz emphasizes the importance of teaching students to use AI ethically and effectively. «Our challenge is to learn and teach students to use Artificial Intelligence correctly. It emphasizes that it can be a valuable tool for design, editing and research, as long as it is used responsibly and not as a shortcut to avoid academic or professional work.
He believes it is important to prepare Social Communication students for the future, where AI will play a crucial role. “It is necessary to explore Artificial Intelligence and understand how it can help us as communicators.” In an environment where censorship is a reality, he said that AI can offer innovative solutions to protect the safety of journalists and improve the quality of information, especially with the creation of subjects who, through videos or audios, present information of a sensitive nature.
The teacher and journalist does not reject the use of this tool, but believes that the students of the program must first learn to do journalism. «I am not against it, but I am reminding students that they must first learn to develop their hand to write, to draft. They must forge their thinking in analysis and interpretation, for example for a journalistic investigation. In the case of radio, being able to use voice tones according to the circumstances, so that you can then rely on artificial intelligence.
ULA Táchira takes a leap into the future if it incorporates
AI to the school of Social Communication
Zulma López/ DLA.-
The University of the Andes takes a great leap into the future, by incorporating Artificial Intelligence as a tool in the training of its Social Communication students, according to the analysis of Eduardo Marín, an expert in the digital area and AI.
Marín highlights that AI does not replace students, but rather complements their capabilities, “we have a very strong awareness of what the future of the university should be, and that is that the university has to be that meeting point in which rather, new capabilities are developed and can be put into practice for the good of people, companies, businesses, the world in general and that it is that initial niche in which students learn by doing, and then go on to put it into practice. in practice when they are professionals.”
He specifies that, in the case of Social Communication students, Artificial Intelligence has a very clear point of view, since they must understand that it is a tool to do things better, that it gives them more capabilities and not, that does.
The expert maintains that Social Communication teachers should not see it as a threat, as a trick or a trap for students to do things better or to do things faster, but rather understand what tools can help them teach students. , and so that they do things in a better way, faster, but above all so that they understand how they can be used.
Regarding the evaluation of learning, Marín proposes that teachers assess how students use Artificial Intelligence to achieve their results.
The expert affirms that Artificial Intelligence can be their best ally for teachers, even to develop classes, with a different, practical and creative style, aspects that previously took them a lot of time.
Marín recommends that Social Communication students at ULA Táchira use the tools offered by AI such as ChatGPT, but makes it clear that it is not about AI doing all the work, the idea is to maintain the creative spark , the human essence, which remains fundamental.
“The most difficult job, which is thinking, always has to continue to be done by the human being, for example, an AI does not know what is experienced here when we do the San Sebastián fairs, it does not know it because it has not lived it and has not lived that experience, he only has knowledge of information, on the other hand, a journalist from Tachira does know, if he has to do a report on the San Sebastián fair, AI such as GPT chat, can rather help him develop a more polished text, to take a different approach in some specific area, but he is not going to do the entire report, he is not going to interview people who we consider are suitable for that report,” he explains.
He details that the mixture of the two things is what they call augmented humanity.
He believes that, with the use of AI, journalists will stop being simple journalists and will become super journalists, with 10 times more capacity, probably with more time to develop better things.
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Op their stories and focus on more in-depth reporting. This transformation is seen as a potential shift in the journalism landscape, allowing professionals to harness the power of AI to enhance their storytelling capabilities rather than replace the human element of creativity, empathy, and lived experience.
Marín advocates for a harmonious relationship between traditional journalism practices and technological advancements, asserting that the role of the journalist will evolve, but the need for critical thinking, ethical standards, and a deep understanding of the community will remain paramount.
as ULA Táchira prepares its students for a future where AI becomes integrated into the fabric of social communication, the emphasis is placed not on replacing human talent, but on amplifying it. Through responsible and informed use of AI tools, students can enhance their skills, produce high-quality journalism, and maintain their unique voices in an increasingly automated world.
