With the kid’s summer holidays just around the corner, many are already thinking about the start of the new academic year, which for many marks their first steps into education, the big move to secondary school or on to higher education. For one school, September will mean taking a huge step and bringing a UK first – teacherless classrooms. David Game College, a private school based in London, will see 20 students (paying £27,000 pa) being taught not by a conventional teacher, but using a mixture of AI platforms and virtual reality headsets. It’s a move that splits the critics, with some seeing it as the only way forward for a struggling education system, for others it’s the road to ruin. The reality is AI is not going away, so it’s up to us to ensure it is embedded safely.
Artificial Intelligence (AI) has seen a dramatic rise in education from the earliest learners right through to veteran scholars, with a large majority of students now using it regularly. It offers unprecedented opportunities for personalised learning and live feedback, makes the admission process more efficient, frees up educators’ time dealing with FAQ, making more time for prep and teaching, and, perhaps most importantly, stimulates enhanced student engagement. However, as AI becomes more embedded in our learning institutions, a substantial portion of educators believe they (and their institutions) are unprepared for this rapid growth. Ensuring robust security and ethical governance is paramount to harnessing AI’s potential responsibly.
The rise of AI in education
There’s no doubt that globally, students of all ages are embracing the AI technology, using it in all aspects of learning. There are multiple reports of universities that state many students are using it for their studies. For example, a recent survey by HEPI and Kortext found that 92% of students used it in some form, and 88% used it to help with assessments. Yet only 67% of institutions have officially adapted to using AI tools. Ironically, in higher education, 70% of teaching institutions are using AI to streamline their own administrative processes, but many of the students believe they are still not being encouraged to utilise it for educational purposes. This may be because educators say they are still unsure how to ensure safe practice, and institutions still view the use of AI as ‘cheating’ rather than a legitimate educational tool. In a recent survey by the National Literacy Trust, two-thirds of teachers thought that generative AI could help to model good writing for their students, and nearly half (48.9%) thought overall it was likely to have a negative impact on their students’ writing. In the same survey, nearly all (82%) of teachers agreed that students should be taught how to engage critically with AI tools, and 75% thought that teachers needed more training, support and resources to use AI effectively. Certainly, there is a confusion over when, where and how AI should be used, and the educators and those in education seem to disagree.
Benefits of AI when properly monitored
When implemented with appropriate oversight, AI offers numerous advantages:
- Personalised Learning: AI-driven adaptive learning platforms that offer intelligent tutoring, providing guidance and feedback based on an individual’s learning patterns and knowledge, have increased student engagement by 35% (Gitnux).
- Administrative Efficiency: AI-powered grading software has decreased grading time by 30% for educators. Chatbots can provide 24-hour support for students seeking help with the admission process and relieve the pressure from admission teams having to deal with frequently asked questions. This can be particularly helpful when dealing with multilingual enquiries.
- Student Support: AI chatbots in education handle over 1 million student queries daily, providing immediate assistance with only 1% needing further assistance with the query.
- Time saving: AI can take the slog out of writing, particularly for those who find it difficult and need more time to focus on research.
The Imperative of Security and Governance
Despite its benefits, AI’s integration into education raises significant security and ethical concerns.
- Data Privacy: The use of AI involves collecting and analysing vast amounts of student data, which of course, can be useful to educational institutions to improve services it does call for stringent data protection measures.
- Bias and Fairness: AI systems can inadvertently perpetuate existing biases caused by erroneous assumptions in the machine learning algorithms, leading to unfair treatment of certain student groups.
- Misuse of Technology: An increasing number of AI-generated deepfake images targeting students (particularly girls) and teachers have been reported, highlighting the potential for abuse and bullying. (BBC)
- Equal for all: Critical questions have been raised about accessibility and equity, and the importance of integrating traditional teaching methods.
- Misinformation: Legitimate concerns are continually raised about the risk of misinformation in the use of AI. To combat this, Media Literacy needs to become the cornerstone of education systems to teach students strategies to help identify fact from fiction.
To help address these issues, educational institutions must implement comprehensive and robust AI governance frameworks that prioritise transparency, accountability, and ethical considerations.
Strategies for Responsible AI Integration
To ensure AI’s positive impact on education, the following strategies should be considered.
- Develop Clear Policies: Establish guidelines for AI use that address data privacy, consent, and ethical considerations.
- Utilise AI detection software such as AI Aware: Help students and educators accurately identify when AI has been used so that appropriate cautionary steps can be taken.
- Invest in Training: Provide educators and administrators with training on AI tools and their implications. Help educators understand the guidelines and teach students effective Media Literacy, and develop clearer critical thinking when it comes to using AI
- Engage Stakeholders: Involve students, parents, and educators in discussions about AI implementation to build trust and understanding for all involved.
Undeniably, AI holds great promise for revolutionising education by making learning more personalised, efficient, and accessible. However, this potential requires a balanced approach that emphasises security, ethical governance, and stakeholder engagement. By addressing these challenges, educational institutions can harness AI’s benefits while safeguarding the interests of all students.
Some of us are old enough to remember when computers started ‘popping up’ in schools in the 80s, to much public furore. It wasn’t until 2012 that the first computer science GCSE was awarded, and two years after that, it was officially added to the national curriculum, which was considered a revolution. Let’s hope it doesn’t take us 30 years to get on board with AI, because it’s coming whether we like it or not.