Guernsey educators are adapting to the growing presence of artificial intelligence (AI) in education, recognizing both its potential benefits and inherent challenges. Principals from schools all around the island, including Elizabeth College and Les Varendes, have recently begun integrating AI technologies into their immersive classrooms. In doing so, they are working to meet the growing concerns about academic integrity and the threat to their teaching profession alone.
Dave Costen, digital lead at Elizabeth College, emphasized that while AI tools like Chat GPT-4 can generate written work that surpasses that of many A-level students, they cannot replace the essential human element of teaching. “The positive potential is absolutely massive… so long as it’s used as a tool to assist teachers instead of doing the teaching,” Costen stated. He voiced deep concern for what the profession of education would look like in an era where AI capabilities are advancing so quickly.
Although there is promise to AI, with the new host of generative technologies, teachers can’t trust student work produced through these tools. Each examination board has established different guidelines regarding appropriate AI use, complicating how educators assess students’ understanding and authenticity of their work. Kieran James, headteacher at Les Varendes, noted this inconsistency among exam boards, stating, “It’s the same with AI… it’s a tool and it can be used really effectively as long as it’s used appropriately, and not, for example, to pass off AI’s work as a student’s own.”
Here’s what teachers have experienced when using AI for varying degrees of success across every subject. Ed Gregson, a media teacher at Les Varendes, has leveraged AI to alleviate his marking workload but acknowledged its limitations. I’m scared to admit that I believe it rates better than me. People get tired… you kind of know when your personal bias is coming into your marking,” he confided.
While some students at Elizabeth College have experimented with AI technology, educators have noted a general lack of understanding regarding its implications and proper use. This gap in knowledge raises questions about the ways in which students will use AI tools irresponsibly in the context of academic assignments. Parent Gazz Barbe shared his worries: “I worry that if I give my daughter unrestricted access to this technology, she will use it to complete homework assignments.”
The Ladies College took an entrepreneurial leap by developing their very own, custom-made AI agent. This agent has been created to assist Year 7 students in determining their personal academic targets. Daniele Harford-Fox, a school district participating in the initiative, highlighted the benefits of the initiative. She went on to say that it encourages early learners to become active stakeholders in their learning process. There remains debate about whether such tools can truly enhance the educational experience or simply provide shortcuts to learning.
Costen noted that learning can be instantaneous with AI, but there’s no step-by-step iterative process to learning that we have as educators. “AI gives too much information to students straight away,” he said, contrasting it with the way educators develop understanding over time.
As Guernsey schools navigate this complex landscape of AI integration, they continue to adapt their methodologies while ensuring they maintain educational standards. These technologies pose important opportunities and challenges. These ideas catalyze crucial conversations about how the education system can remain relevant in our rapidly evolving technological environment.
