Guernsey headteachers are confronting the AI surge head-on, pioneering diverse strategies to integrate and manage this disruptive tech within education. One headteacher, Daniele Harford-Fox of The Ladies College, is boldly revamping the curriculum, incorporating a custom AI agent to empower Year 7 students with personalized target setting. Staff are also leveraging a fortified version of Microsoft Copilot, fortified with safeguards to ensure a secure learning environment.
Harford-Fox questions the very relevance of traditional education in the face of this industrial revolution, noting that AI models like Chat GPT-4 can outwrite many A-level students. This raises fundamental questions about the value of years spent mastering essay writing when AI can seemingly do it better.
While the States lacks a specific AI policy, existing online safety guidelines reference Guernsey’s data protection laws, which apply to both independent and state-maintained schools. However, States-maintained schools must also adhere to UK AI rules set by examination boards. Kieran James, headteacher at Les Varendes, highlights the challenge of navigating varied exam board regulations, potentially creating confusion as acceptable AI use fluctuates across different subjects.
James argues that education has always centered on ‘transferable skills,’ viewing AI not as a threat, but as a tool akin to calculators – initially feared, now essential. He asserts that responsible AI use can empower students outside the classroom, acting as a ‘personal tutor’ for practice and exam preparation.
Yet, media teacher Ed Gregson at Les Varandes admits to using AI to lighten his marking load, freeing up time for tasks demanding more creativity. However, he also voices concerns about AI’s impact on his future role, confessing that AI might even mark better than he does, removing human fatigue and bias.
Dave Costen, digital lead for Elizabeth College, tempers the enthusiasm, arguing that current AI can’t replace human teaching, citing its tendency to overwhelm students with information upfront, contrasting with the gradual learning development facilitated by teachers. Student feedback further reveals AI’s limitations in adjusting question difficulty and over-reliance by some peers, hindering actual learning.
Parent Gazz Barbe restricts his daughter’s AI access, fearing over-dependence for homework completion. He advocates for AI as a tool to assist, not replace, teachers, acknowledging its massive potential.
Guernsey’s educational landscape is undergoing a seismic shift, with headteachers and educators wrestling with the transformative power of AI, its opportunities, and its potential pitfalls.