Georgia Aspinox, lecturer in primary mathematics education at the University of Reading’s Institute of Education, shares how she’s using DfE support materials in her work, to help schools and colleges use AI safely and effectively.
I became interested in AI and education because it seemed to be at the perfect crossing of two things I really care about in education: preparing children for the world and protecting them from harm; and supporting teachers with wellbeing and workload.
I could see AI had the potential to be wonderful for teachers, but there were potentially huge risks, too.
Training young people on using AI for the first time
Working across the primary programmes – the undergraduate degree, PGCE, and postgraduate teacher apprenticeship – I’ve been surprised at how little our trainee teachers know about AI. We really overestimated how much students would be aware of and use it. So, we often train them how to use it for the very first time – how to find the products that are out there, how they work, how you interact with them.
While teaching them how to use it safely, effectively, and critically as a teacher, we’ve also had to teach them fundamental digital literacy and skills.
Putting DfE guidance to work
I was waiting with bated breath for the DfE’s training resources as I was already delivering AI in education sessions. I was keen to have the official guidance and was pleased they were so thorough. I spent a day watching videos, going through the materials and making notes.
I’m incorporating the materials into lectures. The videos explain the basics, so I don’t need to reinvent the wheel. I can bring the principles together with practical activity.
I’m also leading an AI in education working group with the Thames Valley AI Network. Based on the DfE materials, we’ve put together an AI and education position statement for our local school partners to give them some guidance.
Knowledge is power
I think there are a lot of schools that are still unsure about what they should be saying to their staff about AI when there’s such a wide spectrum of knowledge within schools about it.
Some teachers feel very anxious or would rather not engage with it – although I’d always say that you can't hide away from AI, and knowledge is power.
When I hear from my colleagues working in secondary schools that pupils are using AI constantly for homework, or even emotional support, it feels like it’s time that schools and teachers really engage in the conversation, which includes staff training. The DfE materials have given us a framework to help make that happen.
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