UK Schools Embrace AI Tools for Teachers and Students

Some UK schools are introducing artificial intelligence tools for teachers and students.

• Cottesmore School has given the AI an advisory tool to help the headmaster meet the needs of his staff.
• Turner Schools is adding AI to its curriculum to train its pupils on how to properly and ethically use it.
• Further integrating it to support and shadow students with special needs could prove beneficial for the kids and the teacher.

Some UK schools have been proactive in embracing AI in their institutions, and the technology could be further tailored to meet the particular needs of some children.

In the beginning, schools were not fans of AI, as they feared students would use it to shirk their responsibilities. And truth be told, most institutions are still on the fence about integrating AI in any meaningful matter.

But in a West Sussex preparatory (prep) school, Headmaster Tom Rogerson decided to embrace the technology by implementing the AI system “for advice and to clarify thoughts and as a sounding board.” He put in place artificial intelligence tools for teachers, as well as students.

The prep school is also allowing the students to tailor AI tutors to their needs. So, when the teacher is unavailable, the students can refer to the artificial tutor for answers. This will make sure that the students’ needs are met without stretching their teachers thin.

Mr. Rogerson shared that the students need to be taught the technology’s limitations and help them manage their expectations about it.

Proactive Measures

And that’s what another British school, Turner Schools in Folkestone, did. They added AI into the curriculum to teach the students how to properly wield it in a controlled environment. Its digital provision leader, Cerys Walker, explained how not everyone has equal access to technology. If the school does not provide them with this knowledge, they are putting their pupils at a disadvantage later in life. In this case, the school has taken it upon itself to teach the ethical use of AI and its disadvantages since the technology is staying for the foreseeable future.

Same Great Care, Less Burn Out

These two schools are prime examples of embracing new things on their own terms, whether it’s as artificial intelligence tools for teachers or as part of the curriculum. And while the AI system is being used by all students alike. It may be worth looking into it as a tool to shadow children with disabilities.

Every student has their own way of understanding a lesson or a concept. However, some children also present some unique learning needs due to certain physical, mental, or behavioral conditions. And when there’s a class of 30 kids, trying to keep up with all their needs can get overwhelming quickly for the teacher. So, specialized artificial intelligence tools for teachers and special needs students can help the teacher keep a better handle on the situation.

There are three areas where AI can come in handy in this case: personalized learning experiences, aid in skill development, and improved accessibility for students with special needs.

It could, for example, better design Intelligent Tutoring Systems (ITSs) – computer systems that mimic human tutors. They provide immediate and customized feedback to the learners without human teacher assistance. As a result, the teacher is freer, and the student has more independence. Artificial intelligence tools for teachers can also pinpoint gaps in a pupil’s knowledge and make suggestions to improve specific skill sets. And as far as accessibility goes, AI can make a difference between an engaged student and one who is having trouble communicating. AI has improved text-to-speech and speech-to-text functionalities, so children with certain disabilities, like dyslexia, can communicate without being frustrated that the assistive tool keeps writing contact instead of contract.  

The students won’t feel left behind, and the teacher won’t burn out faster than a candle in the desert heat.

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