If you don't subscribe to newsletters from the Sutton Trust, or Teacher Tapp, you may have missed the Artificial Advantage report recently issued by the Sutton Trust.
It is not surprising to read that whilst AI has many potential benefits in education, 'it also has the potential to be a gap-widener' according to the Sutton Trust. Find out more at these links:
Report: https://www.suttontrust.com/our-research/artificial-advantage/
Press release: https://www.suttontrust.com/news-opinion/all-news-opinion/state-schools-falling-behind-in-new-ai-digital-divide/
Opinion piece: https://www.suttontrust.com/news-opinion/all-news-opinion/mind-the-gaps-three-areas-to-watch-for-ai-disadvantage/
In their opinion piece, the Sutton Trust is calling for urgent attention to the following to ensure that all pupils can equally benefit from the use of AI in school:
- Urgent additional training and guidance for school leaders on the use of AI.
- Provision of devices to all Pupil Premium pupils.
- Support for research into the pedagogic efficacy of AI tools, and incentives for tech companies to share their data with researchers.
- Monitoring of the use of AI in schools, with particular attention to inequalities in access and use.
- Digital literacy training to be included in ITT programmes.
- For all schools to have a staff member with responsibility for AI.
- For AI training to be compulsory in all teachers’ CPD.
So - in time for September, what do you need to do to ensure that your school isn't left behind with regard to reaping the benefits of AI in education? For some schools, the biggest issue is a lack of devices for students to use - a digital divide that exacerbates the other issues highlighted in this research.