Let’s be honest, the whole AI revolution in education hasn’t exactly played out the way it was promised. “Disruption” and “transformation” were the buzzwords, and suddenly everyone wanted to scrap everything we knew about teaching and build AI-infused schools from the ground up (I might have been guilty of this myself for a short while).
Disruptive innovations can come in many forms, from small changes in teaching strategies to systematic efforts for change, or even a student idea encouraged by a teacher.
As for me? I get to use ChatGPT to save lesson planning time, make things interactive with ThingLink, and even have chatbots to support my students’ independent learning. Is it revolutionary? I’m not sure, but it does make things more interesting.
Disrupted… Mortgage Payments?
Let’s face it, I can’t afford to quit my job and join some AI-powered commune for teachers. I’ve got bills to pay, and mouths to feed! So when all the big ideas start flying about totally transforming education, I get a little nervous. Embracing AI tools is one thing, but dismantling the whole system? Hold on a minute, there are bigger things to consider.
New models for schools are popping up, online and hybrid learning is growing, but guess what? They still need teachers for digital classrooms, a curriculum, ways to measure progress, and enter students for the standardised tests we love to hate.
These alternatives have embraced digitisation with science labs become VR experiences, a smartboard becomes an online whiteboard, a playtime turns into online meet-ups. It’s the same stuff parents and students expect, just delivered through tech.
So, why is it seen as less progressive to use tech to mix things up in a brick-and-mortar school?
Change, But Not For Change’s Sake
Don’t get me wrong, the system needs a good shake-up. The curriculum is in dire need of a refresh. Luckily, at my BSO school, we’ve got some wiggle room in the younger years before the GCSEs and A-levels kick in. Time to get creative!
Yet sometimes, I worry – when I’m showing colleagues how to use another AI tool, am I just another cog in the machine? Working for small reforms, embracing tech where it fits…does that make me a less progressive? To some…maybe.
Then again, some of my favourite books about teaching have a punk flair: “Never Mind the Inspectors” and “Teach Like Nobody’s Watching”. Deep down, there’s a little rebel in me that wants to stir things up more.
A tool is a tool is a tool is a tool
A hammer makes everything look like a nail. The same goes for tech in education. If all you’ve got is VR, suddenly every lesson becomes a simulation. Danger lies in letting the tool dictate the learning, not the other way around. The teacher, armed with critical thought – that’s what should be in the driving seat.
It’s a breathless race, keeping up with all the new AI tools, and robots now too, it seems. The future barrels towards us and it can feel disorienting.
Resisting Stagnation, Embracing Opportunity
We’ll always have new fads coming at us. Ignoring them is folly, but we shouldn’t be slaves to trends either. Better to be open-minded than stuck in the mud.
At my school, I use AI for everything from lesson planning to proofreading this very blog post. Some might call it old wine in a new bottle, but hey, it’s saving me time and stress, and lets me be a more responsive teacher.
AI would’ve been a lifesaver during the 11-12 hour days I endured back in the UK state system. So many of my friends and family in UK schools are still waiting for the support and training to really use these tools.
Revolution or Renovation?
The best changes happen gradually, one lesson at a time, one policy change at a time. Like any ecosystem, our education system is complex and interconnected.
I’m part rebel, part pragmatist, slowly building a classroom and school that’s both innovative and grounded in what works, with an eye toward the future.
Asking questions and reflecting are crucial. If we replace traditional exams, how do we ensure a just transition for exam board employees, the teachers who mark them, and others whose roles might shift? Every form of disruption should empower people, not leave them behind.
We need disruption that builds something better, with the human cost of change in mind. That’s the kind of disruption worth fighting for.
Not All Revolutions Are Televised
Maybe a revolution in education is a long game. Maybe being a ‘rebel’ is about constantly learning and evolving, embracing change where it helps. After all, AI or not, there are students who need our guidance, laughter to be shared during break times, and the magic of a music performance to witness.
And turns out, being a rebel with a cause isn’t always about smashing the system – sometimes, it’s about using every tool at your disposal, including tech, to create the kind of classroom, and school, you believe in.
Matthew Wemyss 