Could AI have a future in the classroom?

2019-06-19

The government has unveiled plans to explore the ways that artificial intelligence could be used to enhance the education system.


Ministers believe that there is a need to study the potential of technology, with schools minister Nick Gibb saying the potential of AI in schools “remains largely unevidenced”.


Mr Gibb has revealed that an AI horizon scanning group has been set up to assist the policy, digital and delivery teams at the Department for Education.


The move will enable the department to “explore how AI may impact our policies, as well as the benefits it can bring to the education system,” Mr Gibb said, in response to a written parliamentary question from MP David Davis.


Mr Davis had quizzed the Department for Education on whether assessments had been made into the “potential benefit of AI in the classroom”.


Artificial intelligence has already been introduced in numerous schools and Mr Gibb said the Department for Education is aware of some “outstanding examples” of both AI and machine learning in action.


He mentioned their ability to “support teachers to deliver curriculum content as well as to automate burdensome non-teaching tasks such as marking”.


The use of artificial intelligence has led to questions being asked about the suitability of a knowledge-based curriculum, although a number of leading academics have said that knowledge has a key role to play in analysis.


At this time, no further details relating to the AI horizon scanning group have been revealed.