Project overview
The Nuffield Foundation and its centre the Ada Lovelace Institute are collaborating on new research into the role of artificial intelligence (AI) and data-driven technologies in education. The 18-month project includes a landscape review of technologies used in education in UK state-funded primary and secondary schools. It will also identify stakeholders from the public, private and third sector, evaluate the current policy landscape, and note any gaps and opportunities that might benefit from further research.
Data and digital technologies are embedded in education in the UK. For example, information on learning and attainment is used to assess student progress, to inform school performance rankings, and to influence policymaking.
The Covid-19 pandemic further increased schools’ use of digital technologies and their use is growing even more as new products with greater functionality become available.
That said, the use of foundation models (and generative applications built on top of them, such as ChatGPT and Bing Chat) in education in the UK is still in its infancy. Their use by teachers, for personalised learning and lesson planning, is experimental and carried out informally, while students use them for essay writing and to do their homework. The use of AI for schools’ administration – for example, organisation and analysis of student data – is similarly in its early days.
Benefits of data and AI-driven technologies in education include accessibility and inclusion, by better addressing students’ needs; teaching and learning through, for example, personalised learning; and better information management.
However, foundation models and other AI systems have not been systematically evaluated for their effectiveness or risks, and new uses are frequently emerging. Looking at the previous impacts of algorithms and data-driven technologies within education can also help flag potential harms.
As part of this project, Ada and the Foundation submitted a joint response to the Department for Education’s call for evidence on generative AI in education.
