Identifying Good Practice In Using AI In The Classroom

Using AI to help with schoolwork has become commonplace among students. Our research of 1,000 secondary school students revealed that over two-thirds (67%) are using generative AI to assist with their studies. Some are using it to solve maths problems, while others are using it to draft English essays or as a translation tool. Yet, many teachers lack the training, support and guidance to identify AI usage and introduce good practice into the classroom. The same study interviewed 500 teachers and found that one in ten cannot tell the difference between AI-generated text and a pupil’s own work.

With AI technology becoming more sophisticated and the gulf between teachers’ and students’ usage only widening, a significant knowledge gap is starting to appear. This not only impedes teachers’ ability to educate students on effectively using the technology and its many benefits, but it can also lead to safeguarding concerns. Without a full awareness of the technology, it becomes even more difficult for teachers to protect students’ safety online.

Steps have been taken to address this at a governmental level, with the Online Safety Bill including numerous provisions about AI chatbots, such as ChatGPT, to help protect users from the harmful content these tools can produce. However, with AI advancing quickly, these efforts must be kept up to date to have an impact on helping those they intend to support. 

Following the Department for Education’s call for evidence on the use of generative AI in education and the UK’s leading role in the global AI Safety Summit, it’s clear that technology is high on the government’s agenda. Yet, regulation beyond the Online Safety Bill continues to lag. For the education sector, this poses a challenge. Without firm guidance around using AI, it becomes tricky to navigate both the threats and opportunities it presents. 

Removing the administrative burden

One of the most talked about benefits of AI is the acceleration and automation of otherwise time-consuming or repetitive administrative tasks, which have become an increasingly prominent part of teaching today. 

Examples across the country include using online tools to support lesson planning or creating bespoke mock exam questions based on all that year’s relevant reading material. An English teacher can now summarise the role of a character in a book that the class is reading in seconds.

Critics might argue that this could eliminate any nuance in the student’s perception of the character, with all students learning the same standardised description. However, good practice could see the teacher delving deeper into the topic with the students by further prompting the AI to produce a summary based on the aspects that they found most important, which teachers can then review. ‘Revise this summary to include references to Hamlet’s relationship to Ophelia,’ for example. After all, when it comes to AI, the better the prompt, the better the output. Yet, it’s important to always check what AI produces, as the technology is still prone to errors.

Ultimately, using AI tools can free up time for teachers to focus on what they do best: delivering face-to-face educational experiences for their students. 

Creating a unique teaching experience

The benefits extend beyond just saving time. AI can open new opportunities to create more personalised lessons, shaping the way teachers interact with students in the classroom.

In one case, I met a computing teacher who had been using AI to break down a complex concept into a more digestible format, to see if it would resonate well with a student who was struggling to understand it. The platform gave a new model answer to the problem within seconds, and, as a result, the student could tackle the problem and gain a deeper understanding of the concept immediately. The teacher also reflected on how he could adapt his use of the technology to best support students, planning to use it to aid future class preparation, especially for more difficult concepts.

Despite all these benefits, we must be wary not to create an over-reliance on technology. While AI can assist with personalised learning and provide immediate feedback, it’s crucial not to replace the vital elements of human involvement in schooling. We must utilise AI to free up time in which we can focus on emotional support and critical thinking, which technology alone cannot promote.

Helping young people stay safe online

Alongside learning how AI can benefit them in the classroom, teachers also need to learn how to teach their students to use AI safely. Despite being used regularly by the majority of students, many are unaware of the dangers that lie within these tools, viewing them simply as a fun platform to play with. 

Web-filtering software like SafetyNet does a fantastic job of helping school safeguarding teams keep up with the evolving digital world by blocking dangerous content. However, outside of those school boundaries, it is possible for anyone with a stable internet connection and a computer to produce harmful content. 

This must be a serious concern for everyone and as a result, school staff must be aware of the potential threats around AI, with teachers needing resources which show their students how it can be used safely and effectively. 

Both public and private sectors need to collaborate to ensure that schoolchildren in the UK are prepared for a world that includes AI. Schools should be showing students how to use the technology safely and effectively and encouraging them to think critically about the information it provides. 

This collaboration needs to involve the development of a formal introduction to the technology. Students would learn what it is, how it works, its positives and negatives, and appropriate use. This might consist of a short programme of lessons with the opportunity to take more advanced classes if desired. Security should be a core element of this programme – necessary for a generation that will spend a significant amount of time online.

Looking Ahead

It’s unclear where this technology may lead in the future. We don’t have all the answers yet but it’s not going away. What is clear is the urgent need for thoughtful regulation and training. While students readily leverage AI tools, many teachers struggle to keep pace, creating a knowledge gap with worrying implications.

Teachers need to work together and share their own stories and experiences. More must be done to open the discussion and find a stable path forward that everybody – students, and teachers – can buy into and that harnesses the power of this technology, whilst empowering teachers to nurture the next generation of responsible digital citizens.

Mel Parker is an Educational Consultant at RM Technology