On Wednesday, the UK government revealed a groundbreaking project worth £4 million ($5.2 million) aimed at improving artificial intelligence (AI) tools for teachers. This initiative is designed to help teachers with tasks such as lesson planning and grading homework.
To support this project, the government will share important documents with AI companies. These documents include curriculum guides, lesson plans, and student assessments. The goal is to train AI systems to create accurate and high-quality content, such as customized lesson plans and workbooks, according to Barron’s.
Generative AI tools are set to assist teachers with grading assignments and creating teaching materials, according to information shared by the science and education departments.
Early Education Minister Stephen Morgan described this development as a significant leap forward for AI in the classroom, reflecting the priorities of the newly elected Labour government.
Moreover, Science Secretary Peter Kyle emphasized that the project is designed to reduce the administrative workload for teachers and reshape how public sector data is managed and applied.
£4 Million AI Investment Set to Revolutionize Classroom Teaching and Lesson Planning.
In a groundbreaking move, the UK government has announced a new project aimed at enhancing the way artificial intelligence (AI) assists teachers in marking work and planning lessons. The… pic.twitter.com/bvxXtGpJQj
— The Workers Union (@UKWorkersUnion) August 28, 2024
The project is described as a pioneering effort in using government data to enhance AI applications. This initiative follows a previous investment of £2 million (over $2.5 million) by the former Conservative government, which was also aimed at integrating AI into education.
Parent and pupil attitudes towards the use of AI
A research paper, commissioned by the government and released on August 28th, explored public attitudes toward AI in education. While many respondents acknowledged that AI could support teachers, there were significant concerns.
Parents and students expressed worries about becoming too dependent on technology. They feared this could lead to a decline in essential social and technical skills, as well as reduced human interaction, potentially resulting in unintended negative effects.
In recent years, UK schools have faced challenges, including teacher strikes over declining real-term salaries and difficulties in retaining enough teaching staff.
A key part of this initiative includes a collaboration with the Open University, which is contributing educational resources to the project.
Recent tests by the Department for Education, demonstrate that when generative AI models are provided with this targeted data, their accuracy can rise to 92 percent compared to just 67 percent when no specific data was supplied to a large language model.
Minister Stephen Morgan unveiled the project during his address to international education ministers at the Global Education Innovation Summit (GEIS) in Seoul, South Korea.
The summit, which runs for three days, centers on the theme of “classroom revolution led by teachers with AI.” During the event, the Global Education and Innovation Alliance will be launched, with the UK playing a key role as one of its founding members.
