COMPUTING & IT RESOURCES
example of this is the machine learning functionality which makes recommendations on what you should watch next on your streaming service, or the targeted adverts which follow you around when you are browsing the web or social media.
AI literacy is digital literacy
Because it is already widely used, AI literacy is an increasingly important part of digital literacy. By teaching students about AI we can ensure they continue to use technology in an effective, safe and discerning way. Like other digital literacy learning, it shouldn’t be confined to one or two lessons but weaved into different parts of the curriculum, from technology, maths and computing to PSHE.
AI can not replicate what makes you, you
Generative AI creates content based on the source material it has been trained on, so while it can create a presentation or written content with ease, it won’t be in your style or have your personality. To ensure the human element of teaching isn’t lost, AI should be used as a helper for tasks, not do all the work.
Because generative AI is only as good as its source material, it can also get things wrong, give misinformation and show bias. Always check the output!
AI is not going to replace teachers anytime soon Government research into parent and pupil attitudes to AI in education, published in August 2024, suggested that parents think teachers should use AI so that they can have more time in the classroom, teaching face-to-face. The direction of travel is definitely towards AI as a complementary tool for teachers, not a direct replacement.
That said, there are virtual tutor AI programmes on the market to support learners when a teacher isn’t present. These should be used when it’s ethical and appropriate, as they can’t replace real, student- teacher interaction. It’s also worth being mindful that using remote tutor programmes can create a digital divide, as some students will have better access to technology at home than others.
AI can – and probably will - be used for bullying ‘Photoshopping’ images and videos is nothing new but in the past it has required a fair amount of time and skill. With AI tools, anyone can face swap, make convincing alterations to photos and videos, or generate new content and share the results. While the creation
of ‘synthetic media’ (often referred to as Deepfake content) to create inappropriate or bullying content is easier using AI tools, any incidents should be dealt with in the same way as other instances of cyberbullying – tackling the behaviours, not the technology.
AI can – and probably will – be used for cheating The aforementioned TeacherTapp survey found that one in four teachers suspected a pupil of using AI in their homework, and 63% said cheating and plagiarism were their biggest concerns for AI use. AI-checkers are available but these are not completely accurate so some instances of ‘cheating’ in this way can go undetected while false-positives lead to other students being wrongly accused. A human touch is fruitful here - asking a student about their work, sources and vocabulary choices will soon reveal if the work is theirs. The temptation would be to ban AI from school to deter would- be cheaters, but students may still have access to AI at home. A better approach would be to show students how to use AI safely and effectively to support learning, where age appropriate.
AI will test your boundaries on ethics
There is a discussion to be had on intellectual property and consent when using AI tools, where teachers upload student work. The IP belongs to the author (the student in this case) so you would need their permission to do so. For younger children, parental consent would need to be sought, which could raise difficulties as not all parents are likely to consent.
AI will test your policies on privacy and security As there is a question mark over the security offered by some AI tools a good rule of thumb would be never upload personal information, unless specifically authorised by school leaders. The data security offered by paid-for tools is usually better than free AI tools, so its worth paying to ensure data is better protected. Always check the terms and conditions and privacy policy for a tool with your Data Protection Officer before using it to find out what happens to inputs for free and paid-for options.
Like the internet, mobile phones and social media, AI is here to stay and it’s a case of when, not if, it is used in education. In September, the government announced it would be investing £4 million to support the development of AI-based tools to help mark work, create teaching materials for the classroom and assist with routine school admin, so the future of teaching is coming. Are you ready?
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www.education-today.co.uk
December 2024
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