Artificial Intelligence in Education: Answering the frequently asked questions

AI might seem like a bit of a buzzword in the education sector today. Schools are learning to adapt to the new technology, with many concerned over its future both in classrooms and in their wider school departments.

But what are educators’ main concerns? And is their apprehension well placed? It’s impossible to say exactly what the future of AI technology will look like in schools, but its progress in the industry indicates that it’s most likely here to stay.

We spoke to a panel of experts, including those who work with and teach AI on a daily basis, and Independent school representatives, to understand what challenges AI presents and how the industry is preparing to face them. Here’s what they had to say.

Q: How is AI being used by staff and students in schools today?

A: Thanks to the creativity and innovation of modern teachers and school staff, AI is already being implemented within classrooms and to support day-to-day school admin.

Teachers are using the tools to create new and engaging ways to shape the learning experience, including interactive worlds, roleplays, and driving the production of learning resources and contextual background information. AI can be invaluable in engaging students more than ever before.

Not only that, but AI can help to take away some of the more manual legwork that teachers face. For example, the latest technologies can help to automate and simplify editing and iteration, drafting and feedback, and driving exam-time revision.

Outside of the classroom, the potential of AI is just as far reaching. It’s already being implemented as a means to manage workflows, maximise efficiency handling manual tasks, and remove the time consumption of the more procedural elements of school life.

While these benefits clearly improve the school experience for both school staff and students, the current AI in education landscape is uncontrolled and experimental. Key experts note that thinking more strategically about the implementation of AI tools is critical, especially from an IT and data protection perspective. Balance, planning, and policy-building are key to making the most of AI in schools.

Q: What stance should schools be taking on AI technologies?

A: Your school’s approach to AI will always be individual. However you choose to tackle the subject of this evolving technology, your strategy and decision-making should always be grounded in your school’s ethos and values. Consider what you want to deliver as a school and as individuals, and work to implement AI in a way that supports those goals while also driving innovation and creativity.

Agility is important in a fast-moving space, but schools don’t need to be the first to act on AI technologies. Take the time to take stock of what works and what doesn’t, and understand what these tools can actually achieve for your school.

It’s challenging to be both measured and open to evolution. That’s why it’s so important to provide structures and frameworks within which your school and its staff can operate safely. A key goal should be to live harmoniously with these products and the potential they bring, and realistic, grounded principles can help to achieve this.

Q: What are some of the big misconceptions around the use of AI in education?

A: Some of the biggest misconceptions around AI in general are what the technology is and what it is actually capable of achieving. The rapid rate of development of these tools, combined with its polarising PR, has led to unrealistic expectations around its current abilities.

AI makes predictions based on the data set that it has been trained upon. For instance, ChatGPT has been trained on all the data currently available on the internet, up to a certain date. As a result, any output or predictions will be created based on that data. It cannot look forward.

The majority of real daily use within industries, including education, is LLM (Large Language Models). This technology isn’t necessarily new, as we have used image and speech recognition tools in the past. The key point to note is that these new AI tools are just that – tools. The extremes of what it’s capable of aren’t yet a reality.

Q: How should schools be implementing AI in their strategies?

A: It is possible to plan for something new and unprecedented. It takes some courage and an acceptance of risk, while also being comfortable to make changes at your own pace.

Creative and innovative use cases have been grasped in today’s schools, typically by teachers and students to craft better learning experiences. For teachers, IT staff, leaders, and students, the value proposition of AI is clear.

However, experts say that schools now need to rethink how they can build on their existing structures, policies, and principles in order to harness the opportunities provided by AI, while also minimising the risks and pitfalls.

Create your own spaces, individual to your school’s ethos and understanding, for the potential of AI to flourish. It’s not vital to immediately react. Schools can look to build a plan for the future, as the technology continues to evolve and provide more opportunities. The key takeaway is to build a strategy that works for your school as an individual place of learning.

Q: What do school leaders need to do to be prepared for the opportunities and challenges that are coming?

A: Curiosity and adaptability are key characteristics of good leaders. The introduction and evolution of AI technologies will call upon the existing skills and abilities of school leadership. However, the speed at which these technologies are changing and evolving requires resilience and a focus on grounding the school in what AI can and cannot realistically achieve and what is and isn’t safe usage.

School leaders cannot be expected to be experts in these tools, but relying on your existing core leadership skills will help to build strategies and rigorously assess AI usage.

AI and more for International school Data Managers

iSAMS supports school IT teams in over 90 countries across the world with their daily processes. We understand the challenges that your staff face each day and build our software with those specific challenges in mind.

We’re always looking for new ways to support those in International schools. That’s why we created our free resource: A Guide for School Data Managers. Inside, we discuss key issues facing today’s school Data Managers, including:

• What is Power BI and why is it vital to driving school growth?
• The future of Artificial Intelligence in education and how schools can prepare for the changing landscape
• The best iSAMS features for Data Managers, the challenges they face, and how they’re supported in their role
• Busting the MIS migration myths and simplifying the implementation process
• How to protect your school data with dedicated systems and cloud-based security
• Details about the range of support options available for iSAMS Data Managers 24/7

You’ll also hear directly from current International school Data Managers and IT specialists, as they tell us about their role, the challenges of school data management, and how software has improved their daily operations.

Download your copy for more helpful information from iSAMS: https://info.isams.com/guide-for-school-data-managers

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Nicholas Clark is Head of Product for iSAMS and, along with the rest of the product team, is responsible for the continued development of the system. He spent 12 years as a primary teacher, with 8 of those years spent as a deputy headteacher in several schools before moving into EdTech in 2016. Nic joined IRIS in 2021 to lead the Ed:gen MIS product launch into the UK state school market, alongside driving the development of the unique analytics and data platform for schools and trusts, Central. In 2023, he took on the exciting iSAMS product leadership role.