DIGITAL LEARNING
and enabling automation of mundane and repetitive jobs , such as responding to emails , writing reports , or generating lesson content . In essence , AI may be used to reduce bureaucratic tasks and increase the time available for more human , rewarding , and irreplaceable parts of the role , such as establishing meaningful relationships with students based on compassion , empathy , and emotional intelligence , along with passion for the subject , and role modelling . Moreover , students may benefit from improved personalised learning , realtime feedback , and faster , more consistent assessment processes . Departmentally , AI may provide enhanced data-driven insights , including longitudinal student tracking , cohort trends , and early-warning systems to identify struggling students .
Resistance to AI in secondary education
Dr Paul Parham , Second in Mathematics
The rapid evolution of AI is having profound effects on many industries , with the global AI market currently valued at over $ 196 billion ( Grand View Research , 2023 ). The release of ChatGPT in November 2022 was transformative , exposing many to generative AI , the ability of computers to learn from experience and create data in ways traditionally requiring human intelligence , for the first time . As the number of scholarly AI publications continues to grow exponentially ( Our World in Data , 2024 ), AI can now perform impressively in examinations spanning multiple subjects , even up to degree level ( Scarfe et al ., 2024 ). Many argue that AI should be at the forefront of teachers ’ minds over the coming years , not just as a priority in its own right , but as a tool to meet challenges of the profession . Teacher workload continues to be an ongoing issue , with many considering leaving the profession as a result ( SecEd , 2023 ), and while AI is unlikely to be a silver bullet , it has the potential to make a significant difference . Examples include reducing time spent on administrative tasks
However , despite benefits to teachers and students , schools have been generally slower to embrace AI than colleges and universities ( Luckin et al ., 2016 ). This could be due to teachers viewing AI as another workload burden , though this could be overcome through thoughtful CPD demonstrating how AI can be used to efficiently complete demotivating tasks , or perhaps scepticism about AI being the latest educational fad . My personal view is that the cautious uptake has much deeper psychological roots in human resistance to change that need to be acknowledged and worked with . Fear of the unknown can represent an existential threat , particularly if the threat is unpredictable and uncontrollable , and indeed many educators fear being replaced by AI ( Zawacki-Richter et al ., 2019 ). Given the choice between an unfamiliar solution to workload reduction or maintaining the status quo , teachers may prefer the latter because of its safety in familiarity . Moreover , without training , teachers may fear inadequacy , embarrassment , or feeling overwhelmed in front of students or fellow teachers – difficult emotions that can cause avoidance in many people . However , by schools respecting and working with teachers ’ defences , rather than pushing against them , I believe this fear of change can be gradually overcome .
In Bryan Tracy ’ s work on the enemies of success ( Roca , 2023 ), he cites three major reasons for limits to personal growth . These are : the comfort zone , namely the difficulty overcoming humans ’ propensity to seek environmental safety and familiarity ; learned helplessness , in which humans mistakenly believe they have no control over their successes , which may translate as teachers disliking AI due to the threat it poses , but not doing anything to upskill ; and path of least resistance , whereby the easiest and most convenient route is preferred , typically ‘ business as usual ’. Of course , there are real threats associated with increased AI use , though many of these are more applicable to students . As with anything that helps , there is always the risk of overdependency and it is
4