Artificial Intelligence (AI) is no longer just the subject of science fiction, It is here and causing massive “disruption” in all sectors. Education is no exception. The UK government’s AI Opportunities Action Plan highlights how AI is transforming industries, creating new job opportunities and changing the way we live and learn.
The plan starts with this paragraph – “Today, Britain is the third largest AI market in the world. We are home to an extraordinary array of global talent and pioneering AI firms like Google DeepMind, ARM, and Wayve. But despite our record of scientific discovery – from Alan Turing on algorithms and general-purpose computing to Tim Berners-Lee’s World Wide Web – the UK risks falling behind the advances in Artificial Intelligence made in the USA and China”.
For teachers it important to know about this document as it gives an understanding of government thinking and also an awareness around exciting possibilities to enhance education, preparing our learners for an even more digitised future.
How will AI help in the classroom?
AI is already making an impact in education, from streamlining administrative tasks to providing personalised learning experiences. Continued embedding of AI teaching and conversations will:
- Help learners develop essential digital skills
- Introduce problem-solving and critical thinking activities
- Provide personalised learning through adaptive AI-driven platforms
AI products can support teachers with
- Personalised tutoring, helping students grasp difficult concepts at their own pace
- AI-generated quizzes and interactive exercises to reinforce classroom learning
- Real-time feedback to enhance student progress
- AI-assisted research for projects and presentations
- Use AI to automate repetitive tasks like grading, freeing up more time for teaching
When it comes to teaching about AI, learners can develop understanding of this tech through
- Fun, hands-on activities like training simple machine learning models with visual tools
- Discussions about how AI impacts everyday life (e.g., voice assistants, recommendation algorithms, self-driving cars)
- Ethical debates on AI’s role in society, helping students develop digital responsibility
Your AI Policy
Let’s get practical, with all of this going on, where do you start? Your starting block needs to be your school’s AI policy. The policy needs to cover at a minimum:
- AI use in Teaching & Learning
- Ethical Use & Digital Responsibility
- Data Privacy & Security
- AI & Student Safety
- AI in School Administration
- Training & Professional Development
Support for you in developing AI knowledge
To support you with gaining teacher level knowledge of AI, Eduthing offer a range of CPD such as
- Generative AI – to support you with delivery
- AI Course
- AI Policy
these can be found here
Final thoughts
My final thought, for now, is that as AI continues to evolve, the education system must evolve with it. Schools and educators have a vital role in making AI accessible and understandable for young learners.
Further Reading links
I am providing these links as each offers further insights into the AI landscape.