Artificial Intelligence in Education: Transforming Learning and Shaping Futures for Children and Young People

28 Jan

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is transforming every aspect of our lives, including education. As we celebrate International Day of Education 2025, we ask: How can AI reshape learning, and what does this mean for children and young people?

How AI Can Support Education

AI tools are already making a difference in classrooms across the UK. This September will see the opening of the UK's first teacherless AI classroom in London, set to launch in 2025. This marks an important step in how AI is changing the way we learn.

Here are some of the ways AI can help both students and educators:

Personalised Learning
AI can create learning experiences tailored to the individual needs of students. This is especially helpful for those who may need extra support, such as students with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) or those learning English as an Additional Language (EAL). By adapting lessons to each learner’s pace, AI ensures that everyone can progress at their own level.

Reducing Teacher Workload
Teachers often have many tasks to juggle, such as marking papers, preparing reports, and managing student data. AI can assist by automating some of these tasks, freeing up teachers to focus more on teaching and helping students. This not only saves time but also reduces stress for teachers.

Supporting Creativity and Critical Thinking
AI tools can help students generate ideas, structure their essays, or tackle complex problems. By supporting creative thinking, AI encourages students to explore new ways of solving problems, which enhances critical thinking and fosters innovation.

Breaking Language Barriers
For students who do not speak English as their first language, AI-powered translation tools can help bridge the gap, making learning more accessible and inclusive. These tools allow students to understand lessons in their native language, which helps them stay engaged and thrive in the classroom.

Challenges and things to consider

While AI brings many advantages, it also presents some challenges that need careful consideration:

Data Privacy and Security
AI tools often require access to personal information, including academic records and other sensitive data. It’s crucial for schools and educational institutions to ensure that this data is kept safe, and that privacy is respected. Strict guidelines should be in place to protect students' information from being misused.

Bias and Fairness
AI systems are not perfect, and can be subject to bias. This could be problematic, particularly if certain groups of students are unfairly disadvantaged. It's important to address and correct any biases in AI systems to ensure fairness and equity for all learners.

Dependence on Technology
Whilst AI can be an excellent support tool, there is a risk of students becoming overly reliant on it. AI should be used to complement, not replace, the teaching and learning methods in the classroom. Students must still develop essential skills like problem-solving, communication, and collaboration, which are key to their overall education.

Access to Technology
Not all schools have equal access to the technology required to implement AI effectively. This can create inequalities in education. Ensuring equitable access to AI tools is essential to prevent further widening the educational gap.

A recent study by the Vodafone Foundation, which surveyed 7,000 children aged 12-17 across seven European countries, highlighted a growing AI ‘skills gap’ among students. The findings revealed that 27% of children felt left behind in using AI at school, with those from lower-income families facing significantly greater challenges in accessing and understanding AI compared to their wealthier peers.

Among children from lower-income families, fewer than 10% were familiar with the term "AI," and only 38% knew how to use it to improve their academic performance. In contrast, 30% of wealthier children were "AI aware," and 76% felt confident in utilising AI to enhance their schoolwork.

This gap in access to AI is highlighted by the UK’s first "teacherless" classroom, set to open in September at David Game College, a private school in London. The course, aimed at 20 GCSE students who pay around £27,000 a year, will be the first to benefit from this advanced AI-based learning. This highlights the growing divide, as many students from lower-income backgrounds may struggle to access such opportunities, or it may take time for them to experience and benefit from AI in a similar controlled, professional educational environment.

What Does AI Mean for Education?

The Stats: Insights from the National Literacy Trust

The Annual Literacy Surveys from The National Literacy Trust reveal how young people and teachers are using AI in education, and how they feel about it.

AI use among young people aged 13 to 18 has grown quickly, with 77.1% saying they used generative AI in 2024 compared to just 37.1% in 2023. Here’s how young people said AI helps them:

1 in 2 (56.6%) used it to come up with ideas.
Over half (52.2%) used it to better understand concepts.
Half (50.8%) said it helped them learn new things.
2 in 5 (39.6%) said AI helped with writing.
About 1 in 4 (23.2%) said it supported their reading.

However, not all young people are using AI responsibly:

Nearly 1 in 5 (20.9%) said they usually just copied what AI told them.
A similar number (20.6%) didn’t check if the AI’s answers were correct.

Teachers also shared their thoughts. Nearly 2 in 5 (37.7%) were worried about students using AI, especially secondary teachers (45.1% compared to 19.7% of primary teachers). Even so, many teachers saw its benefits:

Almost 2 in 3 (64.8%) felt AI could show students how to write well.
But nearly half (48.9%) worried AI might harm their students' writing skills.

So, what does this mean for the future of education? How can we balance the benefits and challenges of AI to make sure students and teachers can use it in the best way? Here are some important areas to focus on:

Teacher Training
Teachers need proper training to use AI tools effectively in the classroom. It’s essential for educators to understand not only how to use AI but also how to integrate it into lessons in ways that support students' learning without replacing their own efforts.

To support this, ChatGPT offers a free-to-access guide packed with creative ideas for lesson activities, ready-made practice questions, and more. Visit https://teachingwithchatgpt.org.uk/ to explore practical ways to get the best out of AI for education.

Ethical Use of AI
Schools and education providers must establish clear ethical guidelines for using AI. This includes safeguarding student data, addressing biases, and making sure that AI is used in ways that are inclusive and fair for all students.

Focus on Core Skills
While AI can support students’ learning, it’s important to remember that certain skills (such as critical thinking, creativity, and collaboration) cannot be replaced by technology. AI should be seen as a tool to enhance education, not as a substitute for these essential skills.

A Balanced Approach to AI in Education

AI has the potential to change education for the better, making learning more personalised and accessible. However, it is crucial that we approach its use thoughtfully and responsibly. We must balance the benefits of AI with the need for human connection, creativity, and critical thinking in education. As we move forward, we need to ask ourselves: how can we integrate AI into education in a way that supports all students, and what steps can we take to ensure it is used responsibly?

Education is a vital tool in shaping the future, and it’s important that we prepare students not only to use AI effectively but also to question its impact. Should schools focus more on incorporating AI into their classrooms, or should they work on addressing the challenges it presents first? This is the conversation we need to have.

In Summary

AI in education is more than just a trend; it is a powerful tool that can support personalised learning, reduce teacher workloads, and help students with various needs. However, it also raises important ethical questions and concerns about privacy, fairness, and dependency. By ensuring that AI is used responsibly, with proper safeguards and training, we can make sure that it becomes a tool that enhances education for everyone, regardless of background or ability.