Primary school children report that using artificial intelligence can sometimes feel like cheating, while teachers caution that their more traditional “Luddite” colleagues are becoming anxious about the technology, an NZ Council for Education Research survey said.
The survey highlights an urgent need for support in primary and intermediate schools to effectively use AI in the classroom.
The council stated that its survey of 266 teachers and 147 students revealed “a dire need” for clear guidance on best practices.
The survey revealed that teachers were exploring generative AI tools like ChatGPT for activities such as lesson planning and customising learning materials to suit children’s interests and abilities, while many students were also using these tools, primarily at home rather than in the classroom.
However, the survey also discovered that the majority of primary schools lacked AI policies.
David Coblentz, author of the report, said, “Teachers often don’t have the appropriate training; they are often using the free models that are more prone to error and bias, and there is a dire need for guidance on best practice for using AI in the primary classroom.”
He said schools required national guidance, and students needed instruction in critical literacy to comprehend the tools they were using and recognise their inherent biases.
Coblentz suggests that in the meantime, schools could instantly enhance the quality of AI usage and protect both teacher and student privacy by steering clear of free AI tools and opting for more reliable AI solutions.
The report indicated that most teachers believed fewer than one-third of their students, or none at all, were using AI for learning, yet 66% were concerned that their students might become overly dependent on the technology.
The majority of Year 7-8 students surveyed were aware of AI. Less than half reported having never used it.
“Between one-eighth and one-half of users at each school said they asked AI to answer questions “for school or fun” (12%-50%). Checking or fixing writing attracted moderate proportions everywhere (29%-45%). Smaller proportions used AI for idea generation on projects or homework (6%-32%) and for gaming assistance (12%-41%). Talking to AI “like a friend” showed wide variation, from one in eight (12%) at Case A to nearly half (47%) at the all-girls’ Case D,” the survey indicated.
Across the schools surveyed, 55 to 72% agreed that “Using AI sometimes feels like cheating,” and 38 to 74% agreed that “Using AI too much can make it difficult for kids to learn independently.”
Approximately one-quarter said they were more skilled at using AI tools than the adults they knew.