Emma Darcy, secondary school leader and consultant, specializes in AI and digital strategy. She makes it clear that teachers need to know how to use artificial intelligence (AI) to their advantage. Darcy thinks that educators bear a powerful moral responsibility to educate themselves about these tools. This is especially true as students are already using AI to immense degrees in their studies.
The Scottish and Welsh governments have both recently conceded that AI could save time and improve efficiency, especially in marking work. We appreciate their guidance indicating that AI has the potential to be a powerful tool for educators, if used intentionally and responsibly. This endorsement is a notable signal that there is mounting acceptance for AI technology in education ecosystems.
According to Darcy, the area where AI really shines is in automating repetitive tasks. Teachers need to be mindful to not rely on technology for everything. “You have to make sure that you don’t outsource whatever you’re doing fully to AI,” she stated, emphasizing the need for human oversight in educational contexts. She further notes, “If we’re not using these tools ourselves as educators, we’re not going to be able to confidently support our young people with using them.”
The potentials of AI go far beyond time-saving grading tasks. For example, it can help to create communications—including letters to parents about things like head lice outbreaks. The technology isn’t just for engaging students either—it can generate personalized messages in the tone and style of past correspondence, saving educators time with administrative tasks.
Julia Adamson, the managing director for education at her organization, welcomes new guidance on artificial intelligence for schools. She hopes it will strike a chord and start to change the educational landscape for the better. She added that this guidance “certainly feels like the important step forward.” It represents the wider push to infuse technology into every aspect of education.
Pepe Di’ Iasio, the general secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders (ASCL), couldn’t have sounded any more in tune with them. He noted that many schools and colleges are already using AI in safe and effective ways. He knew that AI could do a lot of the heavy lifting to save staff countless hours. It attracted his attention for its ability to address schools’ recruitment and retention challenges. He warned, “There are some huge concerns…that remain problematic.”
The Department for Education is already widely producing training materials and guidance. These tools provide concrete examples to help schools implement AI in ethically sound ways. Here’s how educators can leverage AI to automate routine tasks. That gives them the freedom to maximize quality face-to-face time with their students.
Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson has welcomed AI’s adoption into the classroom. Supporting her efforts to get teachers up-to-speed with cutting-edge AI tools, sources praised her commitment. These tools are intended to improve students’ overall learning experiences while streamlining administrative tasks.
Julia Adamson reminded everyone that educators are looking for clear information. Finally, they need to be able to effectively communicate the use of AI to parents. She emphasized that teachers will want guidance on how to explain their use of AI in tasks such as writing emails to mitigate any additional pressures or reporting burdens.
As AI develops rapidly and the education system adapts to its use, AI’s power to change traditional approaches to teaching is becoming more clear. By adopting this technology in a conscientious way, educators can be more effective and more effectively support their students’ learning experiences.
