The UK Education Secretary, Gillian Keegan, has proposed the use of artificial intelligence software in schools to mark students’ homework. If successful, it could save teachers hours of time and relieve pressure on the education system.
AI Tools for Schools
Speaking at the London Education World Forum, Ms Keegan said; “AI could have the power to transform a teacher’s day-to-day work,” and could allow teachers to focus on ‘up close and personal’ teaching.
The announcement arrives at a pivotal time, as the teacher recruitment challenge nears a crisis point, and patience grows thin over the lack of fair pay and resources, while challenges and pressures continue to evolve.
Accessibility of smartphones, social media and now AI chatbots are rapidly changing the dynamic of communication and adding layers of social complexity in schools.
And there is widespread concern over how AI could further infiltrate schools and change the way students perform and behave.
Concerns Over Artificial Intelligence in Schools
One of the risks of AI marking software is the potential for students to cheat the software. If students could use their AI tools to learn how the teacher AI algorithms work, they could cheat the system to improve their grades without learning any material. This could be particularly problematic in high-stakes exams, where accurate assessment is crucial.
This could also spark a turn of events where schools eventually lose their human values altogether, becoming networks of automated systems and algorithms competing against one another, without any meaningful education taking place.
You may have read some of the following headlines:
‘Chat GPT and the Death of Education’ – Harvard Independent
‘Professor Catches Student Cheating with ChatGPT: “I feel abject terror” – New York Post
Alarmed By AI Chatbots, Universities Start Revamping How They Teach – New York Times
The last headline perhaps tips Ms Keegan’s sentiment the most, who sees an opportunity to start ‘embracing’ AI and rethink the structure of education.
She even quoted Winston Churchill; “The pessimist sees difficulty in every opportunity. The optimist sees opportunity in every difficulty.”
Benefits of Artificial Intelligence in Schools
There are many advantages to further integrating AI software into schools. For example, teachers could use the software to plan lessons and mark homework within minutes, saving an incredible amount of time and stress.
Teachers could use AI tools to condense entire chapters and textbooks into easy-to-digest bullet points, to rapidly summarise and deliver information.
AI algorithms could also offer personalised and adaptive learning experiences and feedback to students. By analysing students’ performance and progress, AI software could offer tailored recommendations and support to help students improve.
Ultimately, these tools would enable teachers to focus on more personalised and interactive teaching, that cannot be replicated by machines. In other words, let the machines do what they are best at, and let the humans do what they are best at. Together, teachers and AI can use their combined capabilities to create the optimal scenario for learning.
Could Artificial Intelligence Replace Teachers?
Careful consideration and testing of AI algorithms are necessary to ensure the technology is used responsibly and ethically.
AI software should be viewed as a tool to support and enhance the work of teachers, rather than as a replacement for their valuable role in shaping the learning experiences of their students.
Therefore, at present, AI cannot and should not replace what valuable attributes teachers can offer.
Conclusion
AI software for marking pupils’ work and exams could potentially offer numerous benefits for teachers and students. However, it is important to weigh the potential risks and downsides associated with its use before implementing it.
Empowering teacher’s with AI software could, at the very least, give them a sense of agency and control over the growing challenges they face.
Ms Keegan also added; “My department has already begun this journey by publishing a statement that examines the opportunities, as well as the risks, that generative AI brings to education.”
“We have a lot more thinking and learning to do to understand the potential here and I am committed to working hand-in-hand with experts, educators and all of you in this room as we do that thinking.”
