An RM Technology survey reveals that 66% of teachers believe they received assignments including parts or entirely generated by artificial intelligence (AI).

Two-thirds of students actually admitted to using ChatGPT for essays and other homework.

The new school year is well underway, and opportunities and challenges face educators with the increasing prominence of AI in education.

International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE) CEO Richard Culatta says, “With the explosion of generative AI tools, there has been an overwhelming demand for support from educators who recognize the urgency of quickly assessing the opportunities and challenges that AI brings to school.”

Reevaluating Education
With the start of the new school year, school leaders and educators are rethinking how they assign work and homework in an AI-augmented environment. During the summer term, a group of leaders from some of the UK’s most prestigious schools voiced their apprehension regarding the, “very real and present dangers,” posed by AI, adding that, “schools are struggling to keep up with the rapid pace of change in AI and are searching for reliable guidance on the best way forward.”

According to Teacher Development Trust (TDT) Co-CEO, David Weston, schools can’t be complacent concerning the use of AI. “AI is not something schools can plan for later,” Weston explains. “It’s being used by many of their pupils, parents and staff right now. It’s the fastest growing and changing technology in human history, and schools need support, particularly when so many competing challenges — finances, mental health, special needs, pupil attendance, teacher recruitment, retention, and build maintenance — are already pressing on leaders’ minds.”

Providing Guidance on AI
In an attempt to provide practical and positive advice in a conversation that has predominantly focused on the risks of AI, TDT and ISTE have launched a joint publication: “Understanding AI for School: Tips for School Leaders.” This white paper, supported and co-published by the National Association of Headteachers (NAHT), the Association of School and College Leaders (ASCL), and the Confederation of School Trusts (CST), aims to assist school leaders in navigating this uncharted territory.

Leora Cruddas, Chief Executive of CST, says it’s vital for educators to receive guidance in AI. Cruddas says, “We are pleased to support this guidance developed by the Teacher Development Trust and ISTE. It is important that, as leaders and educators, we engage with the strategic issues that transcend nation-states and will impact us all. The document offers some thoughtful ‘guiding principles’ for schools to consider.”

Identifying AI-Written Assignments
As educators face the possibility that more and more students are using AI, they are turning to tools that can identify whether assignments turned in are AI-assisted. However, according to the guide, using these tools is more complex than it seems.

Tools used to determine if AI wrote an assignment are less reliable than one might assume. Studies have proven these tools are unreliable and may even discriminate against students who speak English as their second or third language.

Adapting To An AI World
The guide offers steps to be prepared for changes to the educational environment with the advancement of AI. These steps are as follows:

• Educators should learn more about Artificial Intelligence. They should also use some of the tools themselves to understand better what these tools can and cannot do.
• Schools should prepare staff for the possible impact of AI. Establish rules on when AI can be used in the school curriculum, list the pros and cons of using AI, and brainstorm ways to teach students about the advantages and risks of using AI for school and everyday life. 
• Schools should encourage collaborative ways to explore the technology together to gain first-hand experience in using the technology.

James Bowen, Assistant General Secretary of NAHT, said, “When it comes to integrating AI into the lives of schools, there is so much for school leaders to be thinking about. Whilst AI has huge potential for schools and learners, it also poses some real challenges, and leaders will need to think about the pitfalls as well as the opportunities.”

Geoff Barton, General Secretary of ASCL, points out, “It is clear that AI will have a profound impact on education, and we need to embrace the positives while guarding against the negatives. AI has the potential to aid classroom learning, support teachers in their work, and enrich the curriculum, but young people need to be taught how to use it safely and responsibly. The fact is that AI is here to stay, and this guide is an important aid to understanding the challenges and opportunities.”

Shepherding Students on The Use of AI

As for what parents can do to help their children navigate the world of AI, Annie Chechitelli from turnitin has some advice.

Chechitelli provides suggestions for how parents can teach their children to use AI responsibly. Recognizing that ChatGPT may encourage students to do their assignments and write papers with the help of AI, she says, “My advice to parents is to talk to your children — elementary age, teenagers, even your adult children — about the temptations they will face in school. Impress upon them the need to track their work. Teach them how to verify, track, and substantiate. Remind them to always use the primary source, not secondary news articles, and to periodically take screenshots or photos of their work and track revisions either on paper or with Google Docs or Word.”

Chechitelli adds, “If students do use chatbots and AI, show them how to verify information the AI claims as fact and how to cite the use of AI in their work.”

For parents with younger children, it’s essential to encourage them to write without the use of AI to help them develop their language arts skills. Parents should pay more attention to their children, especially when doing homework. They should also encourage their young children not to use AI for assignments.

In today’s rapidly changing educational landscape, schools, students, and parents need more guidance than ever on how to use technology in their everyday lives. With AI playing an increasingly significant role in children’s education, it is crucial to comprehend its potential and limitations.