New education journal explores using AI to innovate teaching practices
A new academic journal explores how artificial intelligence (AI) can and should be used in the classroom. Teachers from world-leading leading independent International Baccalaureate school Sevenoaks School have studied where AI can benefit teaching and learning to share their findings in the latest edition of Innovate.
The articles explore how AI and digital learning can benefit teachers’ workloads, such as its ability to reduce and streamline administrative tasks, improve personalised and provide feedback in real-time. In his article, Resistance to AI in secondary education, Dr Paul Parham, Maths teacher at Sevenoaks School, identifies resistance to change and fear of the unknown as the greatest barrier to AI adoption in schools. He suggests that teachers are failing to view AI as a tool and embrace its potential to drive efficiencies and wield its power to transform educational experiences for teachers and students.
Other articles, including a piece from Sevenoaks Student Boris Lo, review the ethical implications and governance of AI in education such as art teacher Charley Openshaw’s reflection on how AI is impacting creativity now and its effect on the future of art. The journal also includes a contribution from Benjamin Sharratt, Vice Principal of GEMS Wellington International School in Dubai, which reviews the role of “PedTech” and how it can benefit students and teachers. Innovate also features wider articles focused on supporting students to flourish and promoting wellbeing in the classroom.
Now on its sixth edition, Innovate is published annually by Sevenoaks School’s Institute of Teaching and Learning and shares insights from classroom-based studies into new teaching practices. Available as a free download to all educational professionals, the journal is designed to challenge and improve upon current teaching methods. It also supports continuing professional development (CPD) by encouraging educators to examine their own practices and try different approaches.
Jesse Elzinga, Headmaster at Sevenoaks School, says: “We’ve seen a real acceleration of AI adoption within different industries across the world, academia cannot be left behind. As educators it is our job to prepare students for the future, which will undoubtedly see AI and digital technology play a major role in our professional and domestic lives. While schools have so far been slower to embrace AI than other organisations, we want to demystify the technology and inspire them to experiment. Innovate provides us with a fantastic platform to share our evidence-backed findings and give teachers greater confidence to incorporate AI in their own practice.”
Mark Beverley, Editor of Innovate and Director of the Institute of Teaching and Learning at Sevenoaks School, comments: “This edition of Innovate is a reflection on the notable impact developments in AI have had on education in the past year. AI has the power to transform productivity, delivery and experience, which could help to lighten teachers’ workloads, improve student engagement and help individuals to grasp concepts quicker and perform better. Featuring evidence-backed insight into the opportunities and potential drawbacks of using AI, this edition of Innovate is helping us to consider and promote best practice for technology use in the classroom. We are grateful to our authors for their insightful contributions and for their commitment to professional enquiry and development – it is key for our work to drive education forward and create better learning experiences.”
Innovate VI is available online: https://www.sevenoaksschool.org/academic/institute-of-teaching-and-learning/research-and-development/
