VIEWS & OPINION
Establishing clear guidelines for GenAI’s ethical use in universities Comment by ROB TELFER, Director of Higher Education at D2L
In recent years, artificial intelligence (AI) has had a profound impact on the way we create, work, and more recently, how we learn. A survey by the Higher Education Policy Institute (HEPI) discovered that 53% of undergraduate students were using AI to speed up the learning process and improve their coursework. One of the more obvious reasons this is sometimes frowned upon is its impact on
academic integrity. Instead of students spending time in the library and crafting convincing, well-sourced assignments, they might now simply ask a growing number of generative AI tools to do the work for them. Universities across Scotland have taken action against hundreds of students in the last two years for using generative AI to create content and submit it as their own. This is why clear guidelines are needed to ensure the ethical and responsible use of AI in education. As the technology becomes more widespread among students, it must be used in ways that enhance education while promoting integrity. Many universities across the UK, including Imperial College London and the University of Cambridge, have published statements on their websites addressing the use of AI in assignments as academic malpractice. While this might show a strong stance on academic integrity, banning the technology outright is not a long-term solution. Ironically, one of the tools already in use to detect plagiarism today is a form of AI, which is further proof that it’s not the technology that poses the problem but the way it’s being used. An alternative approach is to introduce an enforceable code of conduct.
Becoming ‘AI-literate’ is going to be essential, and higher education institutions play a central role in making that happen. For students, it helps future-proof their degrees and can make them more appealing to employers by showcasing their knowledge of ethical AI use. At the same time, integrating AI into education brings plenty of benefits for
the institutions themselves.
AI can engage students and make course content more interactive. Quizzes and gamification make learning more enjoyable and give students a chance to test their knowledge in a low-pressure setting before exams.
As universities invest more in AI, they can create personalised learning pathways. By embedding AI tools into the curriculum, students can become AI-literate naturally, without resorting to unethical uses, while gaining the skills to make the most of the technology. The use cases aren’t limited to just the student body either. AI plays a key role in saving educators, course designers and administrators vast amounts of time in the production of user-centric courses. AI can also support formative assessment by facilitating the production of interactive practices and tests which help learners deepen their understanding of course content, ensuring they are properly prepared for exams.
AI can also provide increased visibility into student progress using predictive analytics. This helps educators identify students who may be at risk of under-performing or dropping out. By taking advantage of this early-warning system, educators can take appropriate remedial action before it’s too late.
Currently, many lecturers have never been officially trained in using AI to support their teaching or as part of their course design. This can make it challenging to truly unlock the benefits of AI in higher education, and staff may see it as a burden rather than a benefit. With the necessary support in place, educators can build the confidence to explore new ways of learning that will benefit themselves and students. Technology continues to transform the way education is delivered, and AI is no exception. While concerns about its ethical implications are valid, an outright ban isn’t the answer. By empowering students and educators to use AI responsibly, universities can enhance the learning experience and stay competitive in a rapidly shifting landscape.
The impact of poor language skills on children Comment by MARTHA CURRIE, Clinical Director and co-founder of Mable Therapy
In the last three years, the number of children with speech and language challenges in the UK increased from 1.5 million to 1.9 million. It’s a worrying statistic and equates to approximately 20% of all school-aged children.
There are many contributory factors that may be influencing the number of children currently experiencing speech and language difficulties. There is almost certainly a correlation between the increasing numbers and the growing population – the more children there are, the more difficulties will be detected.
COVID-19 and the impact of social distancing is also thought to have had a significant impact on the development of many school-age children – to develop language skills, you have to be exposed to them, particularly during the first six months of life. The various lockdowns and periods of social isolation deprived many of today’s five-year-olds of some of that exposure. Some parties also believe that a lack of investment and prioritisation of speech, language, and communication skills in the education system through multiple governments is to blame.
An inability to communicate easily can have far-reaching implications. In the short-term we might see issues such as low confidence, which can lead to poor educational attainment and poor social interaction. Children can lose the willingness to participate for fear of how others might judge them, leading to social and emotional isolation, and educational failure. Then there are potential difficulties with self-expression and emotional regulation. If children can’t easily communicate their feelings, they can experience emotional outbursts, anxiety, or depression, all of which can exacerbate the original problem.
In the longer-term, poor childhood speech and language skills can continue to have a genuine impact. Social and emotional development can be
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restricted, and even if a child later receives the support they need to improve their communication skills, that lack of early social interaction and self- confidence can follow them into later life.
Once they reach adulthood, children with poor communication skills can also experience difficulties with employability, which can lead to economic disadvantages. After all, while not all jobs require strong academic attainment, all job interviews require the ability to communicate. There’s no single quick fix to support children with poor speech and language skills. It’s a process that requires early diagnosis and access to wide- ranging support.
Diagnosis is probably the easiest issue to address. And it can be done by providing schools with access to better diagnostic tools. Right now, there is a lack of consistency in the approach to speech and language diagnostics in schools – not through any lack of willingness on the teacher’s part, but primarily through a lack of time and resources. Teaching staff have so little free time to conduct speech and language testing that it can easily be overlooked. And when testing does take place, it is frequently subject to bias and the interpretation of the testing materials by the individuals conducting the assessment. The deployment of AI-driven digital tools could hold the potential to address these challenges. Adaptive to the individual child’s needs, yet free from bias, and able to operate without the one-to-one focus of the teaching staff, this could provide a way to ensure that all speech and language difficulties are picked up and dealt with early and effectively. Once diagnosis has taken place, it needs to be followed through by the enhanced availability of speech therapy. There are only so many speech therapists available, and much of their time is taken up by travelling between schools. By again adopting digital services, including online appointments, children can benefit from faster, tailored speech therapy solutions. Poor communication skills can impact almost all areas of a child’s life. But if they’re identified and successfully supported at an early stage, it can change everything for a child – and the adult that they will become.
www.education-today.co.uk 29
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