Partnering with Parents in AI – Jennifer Oaten
Our recent Parent Voice event at Santa Maria College provided valuable insights into the benefits of AI for students and teachers while also providing an opportunity for parents to share their concerns about navigating AI with their daughters.
AI is not just a buzzword; it is a transformative technology that is reshaping various aspects of our lives, including education. From machine learning to natural language processing, AI encompasses a range of technologies that enable computers to perform tasks typically requiring human intelligence.
AI Benefits
Artificial Intelligence (AI) is set to revolutionise education in numerous ways, bringing a host of benefits that will enhance outcomes for students, such as:
- AI can suggest many variations of interactive learning experiences that cater for different learning styles.
- AI can tailor content to meet the unique needs of each student such as rewriting information that suits different reading abilities or provides extension when needed.
- AI-powered tools, like virtual tutors, can provide students with additional support outside the classroom. These tools can offer explanations, answer questions, and guide students through difficult concepts or questions.
- AI can make education more accessible to students with disabilities. For example, speech recognition and text-to-speech technologies can aid students.
- AI can be a great resource aiding students to develop their own revision materials, such as practice questions.
- AI can provide targeted feedback on student work and suggest resources that address specific areas for improvement.
- AI is a great source for ideating big ideas, refining thinking and getting started on a task.
- AI can automate administrative tasks, allowing educators to focus more on building relationships, teaching, and interacting with students.
- AI is here to stay and will be part of many future job opportunities, so students who have opportunities at school to understand AI will develop the confidence to navigate it.
AI has the potential to transform education by making it more personalised, efficient, accessible, and engaging. By harnessing the power of AI, we can create a more inclusive and effective educational environment that better prepares students for the future.
Parent's AI Concerns
During our Parent Voice event, the following concerns were raised in relation to AI:
- Parent Knowledge – Parents were concerned that AI is growing so rapidly and in such diverse ways that it is difficult to stay informed and current.
- Academic Integrity – Parents were concerned that AI could be used to complete assessment tasks, potentially hindering the development of critical thinking and problem-solving skills. Parents want to ensure that their children can think independently and not just rely on technology for answers.
- Information Reliability – Parents were concerned students would rely on AI-generated information without verifying its accuracy or potential biases. They saw the need to develop the skills of evaluating information as vital. Parents want to ensure information promotes equality and does not perpetuate existing biases.
- Ethical Use – Parents were concerned about the ethical considerations of using AI in education, including issues of bias and fairness. Parents want to ensure that AI systems are used in ways that promote equality and do not perpetuate existing biases.
- Cybersecurity – Parents expressed unease about the potential traceability of their children’s information when interacting with AI platforms.
- Deep Fakes – Parents were concerned about the possibility of students’ images being misused for deep fake image creation.
Our Approach to AI Integration
At Santa Maria, we are taking a proactive approach to AI integration:
- Developed an AI Integration Strategy – Initially, we started by developing an AI integration framework, which involved assembling an AI committee to create responsible AI guidelines and evaluate appropriate tools and peer-to-peer training.
- Ethical Use Principles – We have established clear principles for AI use, focusing on privacy, accountability, bias awareness, ethical use, and security.
- Staff Training – Our teachers are able to access ongoing AI training workshops to effectively incorporate AI into their teaching and learning.
- Curriculum Integration – We are reviewing tasks and assessments to ensure they align with the realities of an AI-enhanced world while still developing crucial skills. We have developed AI use guidelines for student assessments.
Empowering Parents and Students
We believe that navigating the AI landscape is a collaborative effort. Here is how parents can play a crucial role:
- Familiarise yourself with AI – By using AI tools yourself, you will gain a firsthand understanding of their capabilities and limitations. This knowledge will help you guide your child more effectively.
- Encourage Critical Thinking – Teach your children to question AI-generated information and always ask, “Why?”
- Reinforce AI as a Tool – Help your children understand that AI is a powerful tool, but it does not replace the need to develop their own skills and knowledge.
- Open Dialogue – Discuss AI’s potential and limitations with your children, addressing both its benefits and risks. The 80/20 rule is helpful in that AI-generated information is likely to be 80% accurate and 20% inaccurate.
- Stay Informed – We are committed to keeping our parent community updated on our AI initiatives. Look out for AI policy information in parent evenings and other communications.
Looking Ahead
As we continue to explore AI’s potential in education, we are excited about the possibilities it presents. AI has the power to enhance education in meaningful ways.
However, we remain committed to a balanced approach that prioritises the development of critical thinking, creativity, and ethical understanding. By working together – schools, teachers, parents, and students – we can ensure that we harness the benefits of AI while maintaining the core values and skills that are central to education.
We invite you to join us on this journey as we navigate the exciting and sometimes challenging world of AI in education. Your insights and feedback are invaluable as we shape the future of learning at Santa Maria College.
- AcademicIntegrity, AIInEducation, AIInSchool, AITools, EthicalAI, Featured, PersonalisedLearning
Author: Santa Maria College
Santa Maria College is a vibrant girls school with a growing local presence and reputation. Our Mission is to educate young Mercy women who act with courage and compassion to enrich our world. Santa Maria College is located in Attadale in Western Australia, 16 km from the Perth CBD. We offer a Catholic education for girls in Years 5 – 12 and have 1300 students, including 152 boarders.
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