The Impact and Possibilities of AI in Education

If you use virtual assistants like Siri or Alexa, autonomous car features or personalised recommendation features in products such as Netflix and Amazon - then you’re already employing Artificial Intelligence software (AI) in your daily life. 

Although it feels like AI has suddenly arrived, the origins of machine-based artificial intelligence systems began as early as the 1950s and it is now widely used in many industries including agriculture, retail, medicine and banking.

While new developments in technology provide many positive benefits in various sectors, they can also be used carelessly. 

The proliferation of AI programs has had a huge impact in educational spaces in the last few years. Numerous tools have been developed to support students’ deep learning and critical thinking, rather than just providing easy answers. And that is key in understanding the impact of AI. We don't want students to allow technology to usurp their God-given human creativity, intelligence and relational vocations, but rather to leverage it to best support their endeavours.  

At DCC we reflect on best practices in all aspects of teaching, including the use of technologies, to assist students in being prepared to critically evaluate and engage with technologies in their life beyond the school gates. 

A small working party of Secondary staff has been exploring a range of educational tools that utilise generative AI software. This will improve staff understanding of AI, including guidance around privacy implications, bias of data, ethical application and transparency of AI use, in addition to upskilling in relevant, appropriate tools. 

An external Christian consultant will also guide staff through applying best practices in this space. As tools and technologies such as AI continue to evolve, this is an ongoing process.  

Students are already experimenting with AI tools, often without fully understanding or critically thinking about the websites they are using. Next year we hope to assist students by providing clarity about when they are allowed to use AI to support their work (or not) and how to critically evaluate and use AI tools appropriately in all contexts.

By contrast students are also positively using some AI tools effectively in their learning. These may include using image generators to collect graphics for research and inspiration, collating lists of sources when researching a new topic, leveraging text generators for speedy summaries of content or prompts for their own work or creating revision materials based on their uploaded notes and textbook content.  

Parents can utilise some strategies with their children at home to build on class-based discussions about their use of new technologies such as AI. You may wish to: 

• Ask your children how they learn (to build greater self-awareness of learning strategies, which can lead to intentional improvement to learning strategies) 
• Enquire what AI tools they have encountered, or are using (for educational or personal purposes) 
• Discuss existing concerns about the copyright of materials (especially artwork, music and images) that have been included in databases that generative AI uses to create new mashups  
• Ask if they know anyone who has posted AI-generated content of someone else, and how they might consider that person's feelings around having false images or information posted
• Discuss whether work created by a computer is really their own - does it show their understanding of a topic? How can they leverage it to aid their learning instead? 

Hopefully these can be a starting point for open discussions at home around the many new technologies that our students encounter in both personal and educational spaces. 

If you would like to gain a better understanding of AI for yourself, this website is a good starting point:

https://www.sas.com/en_au/insights/analytics/what-is-artificial-intelligence.html