Teachers using AI for so many tasks (secondary school)

[inneedofteaandbiccies]

Was wondering what people think of secondary teachers using AI for presentations (Powerpoint style), worksheets, tasks (such as written tasks - information provided created by AI, history info sheets, history image creation for presentations, even Art department posters or example worksheets for art lessons etc using generated AI example images.

What do others think about this? Whilst I understand teachers only have limited time available, they managed without until a year or two ago, and my year 9 child is moaning about the excessive use and to be honest I am inclined to agree that it's not appropriate in all instances.

Just interested if you think this should be a part of school to such an extent that it's everywhere (just a state school, by the way!).

"The problem with these discussions is that the people who are anti AI don't understand how it could be used, and so they automatically assume it would be generic, incorrect etc."

That's a very blanket statement and suggests you've not understood the position of the OP.

You do realise when you start a thread that not all the replies are directed at you?

I think what you say is debatable. AI images can be art and plenty of drawings by an actual person can be slop.

Why are you referring to yourself in the third person? You've already replied to me as if I was replying to you when it was to somebody else. Odd.

I find that ai slides are always tiny font. We were always told size 24 font for any writing. But Claude produces size 12 and we all stand trying to squint at the content.

You do realise when you post on a thread that other posters are allowed to your posts even if you've not 'directed it at them' specifically?

I personally disagree that AI created images are "art". And yes some human made art is crap, that's not up for debate. My point is about outsourcing creativity to a machine, and setting examples, and the knock on effect of that.

I use it a bit to save time on things that I would have done anyway.

Make a glossary to go with this text.
Translate these key words I’ve identified into X language so that my EAL student can get the gist of what we’re doing.
Here’s a word bank for this writing. Can you organise it into sections and put an image with the words that are above a reading age of 13?
Find me some images that go with this text (I would have previously spent hours searching Google images for just the right one)

Its not replacing me - it’s doing some things that I would have done anyway when I’ve already done the thinking.

Sweeping generalisation but, new teachers come to us not really knowing how to plan - they’ve trained in departments with all shared resources and they come to departments with shared resources, so they don’t know how to plan from scratch or adapt what’s there. That’s where I think the danger is, where they then just use Chalky AI or whatever to make them a lesson and they don’t understand the why or how of what they’re doing.

On the flip side…. I would have loads more time if parents didn’t use AI to write massively long emails! It works both ways.

I wasn't referring to myself in the third person.

'The position of the OP' means "the position of the original post" although I should have made it clearer.

I have always thought OP meant original poster not post.

Perhaps it does, but I meant it to mean the way I described.

Circling back to the original observation, it's very possible that your child's teacher has been leaned on to teach a subject they are not trained for and teaches several classes with no TA, even though they absolutely need help. I'd excuse a bit of AI if it means the teacher is able to keep their head above water.

The original post wasn't being upset about a specific teacher or the use of AI as a whole, more the mass outsourcing of all and every single task to AI such as creative tasks e.g. AI generated art posters and so on.

If you read my posts you will understand the scenarios I was referring to.

I doubt any teachers are outsourcing all and every task to AI though. You're making up hypotheticals so you can froth about AI.

It was a figure of speech, do you understand what that means or do you have to interpret everything as literal?

I suggest you re-read my posts (as I've said above many times) to see where I feel it is inappropriate, rather than painting me as completely anti-AI or anti-teacher....

I'm not blanket anti AI, as I've said many times on this thread.

It shouldn’t be used in creative subjects. It’s fantastic for writing end of year school reports.

Yes, I understand what a figure of speech is. I guess you could argue that "all and every single task" was hyperbole, but just because you have emphasised something beyond what was grammatically necessary doesn't automatically make it a figure of speech. You started a thread on the topic, so it's reasonable to assume that you have strong feelings on the matter that might lend themselves to emphasis.

I guess it's much easier to paint me as completely anti-AI and "frothing" than to discuss nuances around the debate, or engage with the specific examples I have given where I feel it is inappropriate.

I've even said multiple times I'm not anti AI and even said I don't care if it's used for lesson planning or whatever.

Do you understand nuance? It's not a black and white "for AI" or "anti AI" thing.

100%. An 80 hour workload is no good for anyone, teacher or their students.

If schools/parents/government want besoke, class by class content, they need to cut workload in half.

Why font you make some resources from scratch and time how long it takes- donate your wonderful work to the school

Do I understand what a figure of speech is? Do I understand nuance?

Do you understand how condescending you are?

As for engaging with your specific examples, one of them was PowerPoint, which I've given my thoughts on.

You initially said you don't think it should be everywhere" in a school. I don't think anybody thinks it should be everywhere. (Cue you telling me that was a figure of speech) Personally, I think that if a teacher is using AI to the point where it's detectable (slop graphics, factual inaccuracies etc) then they're thick, and shouldn't be teaching in the first place.

Teachers who use it well actually demonstrate qualities we would want in educators, such as adaptability, a discerning eye for detail and so on.

"Personally, I think that if a teacher is using AI to the point where it's detectable (slop graphics, factual inaccuracies etc) then they're thick, and shouldn't be teaching in the first place.Teachers who use it well actually demonstrate qualities we would want in educators, such as adaptability, a discerning eye for detail and so on."0

I agree.

I'm not referring to teachers who use it 'well'. Yet you called me "frothing" and making up hypotheticals.

I'm referring to its use across specific scenarios: certain types of creative work, for example.

A powerpoint could be about anything, in some instances it would be appropriate, in others it might not (one about a creative art project, for example, or a history 'source' image created by AI).

There are a whole variety of Powerpoint (or other) scenarios, both AI appropriate and inappropriate.

For clarity's sake, I am not against AI being used even extensively.

But my child's art department has multiple posters promoting competitions or projects, all with AI art on them. Do you think that's setting a good example for a supposedly creative subject?

I'm not against David using it to pull together some questions or doing a lesson plan, or Jane setting up a Powerpoint with some facts about X.... or even a poster for a language club or whatever. Even if it's used 90% of the time I get that.

I'm referring to specific examples.

I also worry about the wider implications of children growing up in environments where 99% of the visuals they see are generated by AI, devoid of genuine human creativity. But that's a whole other argument....

AI has helped me save so much time, especially when it comes to some of the metacognitive tasks like analysing points found in longer form answers.

Saying to an AI prompt, please give me examples of 2, 4 and 6 mark answers, rather then typing it yourself is great.

But, you MUST proof read what you are given.

I really don’t care. This will be completely routine in a few years

You have forgotten rule no #3 of Mumsnet - Thou must never criticise a teacher - they are all unfairly paid, overworked and expected to do more than anyone else.

Wondering how these teachers would feel if all of the kids used the same claim when completing the AI generated work to the same AI standard?

That’s a silly comparison though. A teacher generating a poster for a club isn’t a student doing a piece of work in order to learn something or demonstrate what they have learned.

Except education is to BENEFIT children. They're not oeverworked. Everything they do in school is to benefit them and help enable them to have a fulfilling life (because without education, they're fucked).

I'd like to see you at your desk at 10.30 at night, rushing to put a PPT together for a last minute curriculum change (not the individual teacher's decision, either the HOD or more likely the MAT lead).

If we want curated eduction, teacher workload needs massively cutting.