There was also much public debate as to what the massive adoption of AI large language models such as ChatGPT would mean for education – was it a force for good or not? The BCS’ Education team, supported by its CAS network, recommended that AI should be part of teacher training courses to help staff understand how students use AI.
BCS placed a piece in The Times with MD for Education and Public Benefit Julia Adamson, making this case, and arguing that AI should be not just a crucial part of teacher training but also of headteachers' professional development.
This statement was also covered widely in the media following the subsequent announcement, in June, by Education Secretary Gillian Keegan that the government was to call on education leaders and technology experts to come forward with ideas on how generative artificial intelligence can be used in a positive way to support the education sector in the future.
Schools Week and FE Week also covered the setting up of a new education task force to advise the government, which includes the BCS CEO and BCS Fellows, Dame Wendy Hall, DBE FRS FREng MAE FIET and Professor Dame Muffy Calder, DBE OBE FREng FRSE FBCS, at its helm.
Niel McLean, Head of Education at BCS, was also quoted in a separate article about the potential use of AI for collecting data about school pupils. He said: “There's an ethics of purpose – what you're actually using this to do? There's an ethics of processes – how is data handled? What's the confidentiality? How secure is it? There's a people side. You want the people doing it to be professional and feel they're accountable.”
