While ChatGPT is banned in many schools, generative AI apps, that are tailored to the curriculum, are being used routinely in some classrooms. An AI pilot in New South Wales will soon be expanded to all public school teachers. It's the second state after South Australia to test its own in-house AI tool, with WA receiving funding for its own pilot. Many experts say AI has the potential to address some of the biggest challenges in education, but a considered approach is needed.
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00:00You're going to kind of treat it like a regular human being.
00:05These Year 10 students have been using generative AI for months and it's transformed the way
00:10they learn.
00:11I think I've had to think about it more and sort of had to like accustom myself to it
00:16because obviously a lot of jobs in the future are going to want it.
00:19So it's important that I learn it now.
00:21The NSW Department of Education's in-house AI tool looks like any other messaging platform.
00:27It's modelled on ChatGPT but built specifically for the state's curriculum and it won't write
00:32your essays or help you cheat.
00:34It's like it's providing us the why but not giving us the entire answer.
00:38For teachers it's being used to help reduce admin work.
00:41We've been using it for lesson designs and stuff like that and getting ideas to create
00:44lessons for the different syllabus dot points.
00:47Late last year federal and state governments released a national plan for generative AI
00:52in schools which it says should ensure it's used responsibly and ethically.
00:56It's a battle many schools and universities are now facing, balancing the need to adapt
01:01with the technology but also proceed with caution.
01:04There's a huge responsibility and a huge opportunity for our schooling system to develop capable
01:11young adults who will be able to engage with AI without fear and with a really strong sense
01:17of responsibility and ethical understandings of how to use it.
01:21Unfortunately this is the way the world's going.
01:22It's more of a conversation about how we're future-proofing their kids and how we're making
01:26them future-proof so when they go into employment opportunities outside of school they are set
01:30up for their future.
01:31A federal inquiry into the use of generative AI in schools has recommended it be treated
01:35as a national priority and to ensure potential risks are urgently addressed.
01:41The really sort of significant ways in which we'll develop our curriculum over the next
01:45few years will be when are the right times to use AI to enhance the learning, when are
01:50the times to step away from AI and to practice on for example times tables before you're
01:55allowed to use calculators.
01:56If our kids aren't gaining access to these tools and learning how to use these tools
02:01across Australia then where's the country are going to be left behind.
02:05The NSW Government is now calling on the Commonwealth to help fund its trial which it will expand
02:10to all public school teachers by the end of the year.