The majority of secondary school teachers in England are not using ChatGPT professionally and some are not interested in using AI anytime in the future, according to a new study.
BCS, The Chartered Institute for IT, has published the results of a survey of over 5,000 teachers from 2,000 secondary schools on the subject, showing that 64% are not using the generative AI software and that 19% have no interest in doing so.
41% said their school did not have an agreed approach to AI, and a further 17% did not know if any policy had existed.
The vast majority (84%) have not changed the way they assess students’ work, despite the availability of AI tools, and only 41% said they are regularly checking homework and coursework for plagiarism content from the web.
New inequalities
BCS has published a report on the trends, Secondary School Teachers and AI, which also points to new inequalities in the use and understanding of AI in education.
These include that, although only a small proportion of teachers surveyed were from private schools, they were using AI more regularly than their state counterparts.
In addition, teachers in the North West, Yorkshire and North East were slightly less regular users of AI than those in other regions.
In addition, only 36% of teachers using AI for lesson preparation had told their senior leadership team or head, suggesting it is seen as cheating for teachers as well as students.
One computer science teacher, who asked to remain anonymous, said: “Here we are, another technological wave washing over the education sector, leaving us stuck in the 1950s. At the school I’ve started at now, teachers are not allowed to use AI to create lessons. The senior leadership team fear that if they let AI in, it will replace, not enhance teachers.”
Dedicated time
In contrast Emma Darcy, director of technology for learning at Denbigh High School, Luton, said it dedicated one period a week to teaching AI and digital literacy. The school also had clear policies on AI for teaching and learning and for acceptable use by students.
She said: “We teach students and staff to understand what over-reliance on AI looks like and what the negative aspects are, as well as the positives.”
In its report, BCS recommends that understanding AI should be a significant part of teacher training and heads’ leadership qualifications, alongside wider digital literacy.
It also calls for schools to publish AI policies on their websites. But they can only be expected to do that with clear guidance from the Department for Education, the qualifications regulator Ofqual and other relevant bodies.
A third recommendation reiterates an earlier BCS call for a new digital literacy qualification in schools, which focuses on general skills including using AI tools, alongside the current computer science GCSE.
Transforming work
Julia Adamson MBE, managing director, education and public benefit at BCS, said: “Teachers see the opportunity AI presents to transform their work and the lives of their students, from saving time on lesson plans, to personalising learning for each young person.
“But they need better training and guidance to grow in confidence with AI, to make sure it is used fairly and that it doesn’t cause greater disadvantage in the education system.”
Lord Knight, former schools minister, says in the foreword to the report: “We need robust policies, well defined ethical standards, and a framework for responsible AI use that empowers teachers and prepares students for a future in which AI will play a significant role.”
