Cognita, the leading global schools’ system with over 100 schools across five regions, recently conducted a listening exercise with students, parents, teachers, and school leaders from various countries to gather opinions on the potential impact of AI tools, such as ChatGPT, on education.  

The findings highlighted three key themes: 

Embracing AI: Participants acknowledged the positive potential of AI to significantly impact education. They believe that AI tools can enhance teaching and learning experiences, leading to more effective and personalised education. 

AI will not replace teachers: While AI can enhance education, participants agreed that it will not replace the role of teachers in the classroom. Teachers will continue to play a crucial part in fostering human connections, guiding, and inspiring students. 

Importance of training and education: To effectively use AI tools such as ChatGPT in the classroom, adequate training and education for both teachers and students is essential. This includes understanding the capabilities and limitations of AI, as well as developing skills for effective integration with traditional teaching methods. 

In response to these findings, Cognita is developing an AI Toolkit to support schools in understanding and effectively utilising AI in education.

Andy Perryer, Head of Digital Learning for Cognita Europe, explains more:

“This toolkit will include access to high-quality resources and information to help schools and educators make informed decisions about AI integration. There will also be a series of five short videos designed to stimulate conversation and provide guidance on various aspects of AI in education, including its ethical implications. We aim to provide the best ongoing support for our schools to ensure that we make the most of the opportunities presented by changing technology.”

Talking about how this work fits with Cognita’s wider digital learning strategy, Dr Simon Camby, Group Chief Education Officer, says:

“We see enormous potential through the integration of AI into aspects of both teaching and learning. This is part of our continuous approach to improvement with a focus on enabling our students to thrive. We see this as an opportunity to enhance learning whilst also honouring the essential, irreplaceable human relationships that facilitate and positively impact learning.”

Read the full research piece here in English and here in Spanish