Love it or Hate it, AI is here to Stay!

As educators in a digital world, we at Hilden Oaks Prep, have become accustomed to the rapidly changing nature of technology. However, the pace at which ‘AI’ has raced into the public eye has taken many of us by surprise. Mr Joe Makey, computing co-ordinator at Hilden Oaks, observes;

 “I believe that our role as digital educators is not to prepare children for the world of technology of now, but for the world of technology in the next 10+ years and beyond! Unfortunately, of course, we do not know what this world will look like – and so we must instead focus on developing the young minds in our care to be critical, discerning, creative and above all curious. Throughout my education experience nothing has brought these concepts together as clearly and accessibly as AI.”

Of course, AI does present Hilden Oaks and similar schools, with a number of challenges. The risk of children finding unreliable or misleading information is very much at the forefront of our minds. If well written and seemingly well-sourced, an AI article could potentially mislead children and provide quick, bespoke yet inaccurate information.

However, we must consider the learning opportunities that AI can present. A pupil struggling for that ‘spark’ to get a story going could find one using AI. Another, looking for alternative ways to phrase their report, could be presented with options, or a child wondering what Picasso and Mondrian could create if they collaborated, could finally be inspired. The internet is the most powerful learning tool that we could ever offer our children, and always will be. Our job is to make sure that our children are educated to use it to its full potential. Love it or hate it, AI is here to stay – and for the time being so are we!