A teacher’s knowledge, teaching methods and personal engagement with students cannot be replaced by artificial intelligence at Meriden. We certainly have been thinking about the implications of AI for teaching and learning at Meriden, but rather than resisting or succumbing to these new technologies, our teachers are looking at ways AI can assist them in the classroom.
From the moment AI went mainstream with the launch of ChatGPT, the transformation and integration of AI have moved at an alarming pace, affecting almost every facet of our life and work.
As all sectors of society try to keep up with AI, our approach at Meriden has been deliberately slow because the repercussions of getting it wrong are significant. Meriden teachers have considered the ethical and philosophical position regarding AI, and there is still uncertainty about the implications regarding privacy and the sharing of personal information, including the referencing and labelling requirements for the use of generated AI.
Meriden envisions a future where AI can help facilitate learning at an individual pace, preparing students for higher-order thinking tasks delivered by teachers, but it will never replace the teacher.
Teacher rapport and instinct irreplaceable by artificial intelligence
While there are many advantages to using AI, the personalised and human approach to teaching is something it cannot replace.
Meriden greatly respects the judgements and experience of our teachers. The insight they have into their students, including the way they learn best and changes that may be happening in their personal lives. Our teachers’ knowledge of their craft combined with their knowledge of their students is incredibly powerful.
Teachers at Meriden have the ability to synthesise pedagogical knowledge within subject matter knowledge. It is called pedagogical content knowledge, and it enables teachers to think about what they want to teach and how they want to teach it.
This knowledge is developed through experience and the establishment of the pedagogical toolkit, and there are no shortcuts to experience. One of the concerns with AI is that teachers will rely less on their professional judgements and instincts and instead opt for the quick and easy option.
This personalised and ‘human’ approach to teaching cannot be replaced by AI.
Meriden teachers get a closer look at AI
Earlier this year, Senior School teaching staff participated in a professional development session led by Professor Matt Bower from the School of Education at Macquarie University. He specialises in the innovative use of technology for learning purposes and is particularly interested in how contemporary technologies such as artificial intelligence, augmented reality, web-based tools, virtual worlds and so on can be most effectively used to support cognitive development and collaborative learning.
Meriden teachers heard about and had the opportunity to experiment with new AI technologies that could assist them in the classroom. They look forward to continuing the discussion about AI and other technologies in the future and, given the pace of advancement already, this will be an ongoing project.