Teachers in Britain Will Explore AI's Potential in Education at Hackathon Event

Teachers and school leaders from across England are gearing up to embark on an exciting journey into the world of artificial intelligence (AI) during a two-day hackathon event scheduled for October 30 and 31.

This event aims to explore the untapped potential of AI technology in education, empowering educators to reimagine how it can supercharge their roles within the classroom.

Artificial intelligence has already been making waves across various sectors, contributing to economic growth and enhancing public services. In the realm of education, AI holds the promise of revolutionising various aspects, ranging from streamlining administrative tasks for teachers to delivering personalised feedback to students.

In a strategic collaboration, the UK's Department for Education has partnered with Faculty AI, the National Institute of Teaching and the AI in Schools Initiative to host this groundbreaking AI hackathon event in London.

The event will bring together teachers and leaders from schools and trusts across England, including esteemed institutions like the Harris Federation, Star Academies, Outwood Grange Academies Trust and Inspiration Trust.

During this innovative hackathon, participants will be encouraged to experiment with AI in a multitude of scenarios. For instance, they will explore whether AI can efficiently draft lesson plans or accurately grade exam papers.

The event's scope will also extend to include secondary school students who will be invited to share their insights and experiences regarding AI's role in education.

Notably, the most promising solutions developed during the hackathon will be shared with the Department for Education's workload reduction task force. Additionally, a demonstration of the AI tools created will be made available for schools nationwide to test and implement, aligning with the government's ambitious goal to reduce teachers' and leaders' working hours by five hours per week.

Gillian Keegan, the Education Secretary, expressed her enthusiasm for this groundbreaking endeavour, stating: "Artificial intelligence has huge potential to transform the way we do things, from providing personalised support for pupils to helping tackle teacher workload. But to reap the benefits in education, we need to improve our understanding of how AI works and ensure its safe usage."

Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, Michelle Donelan, highlighted the broader vision, saying: "This hackathon will help explore how AI can be harnessed to revolutionise education. We want to see teachers using AI to speed up administrative tasks and planning so that they are free to focus on the things that make the biggest difference to students."

Tom Nixon, Director of Government at Faculty AI, emphasised the significance of bringing AI into the educational sphere, stating, "AI has the power to cut workloads and improve young people's education. The hackathon will be an important step in moving from rhetoric to reality, and we're excited to help get these tools into classrooms."

Dr. Calum Davey, Executive Director of Research at the National Institute of Teaching, underscored the importance of involving educators in the development of AI solutions. He expressed: "We want to see a school system that nurtures the teachers and school leaders who are making a difference for children every day. Emerging AI technology may help with their work, but if it's going to be useful and have an impact, then schools need to lead the identification of problems and development of solutions."

The United Kingdom is already recognised as a global leader in AI technology, focusing on its responsible and safe development. The forthcoming UK AI Safety Summit on November 1 and 2 will further cement the nation's commitment to AI advancement.

The AI hackathon event is a crucial step in ensuring the UK maintains its prominence in AI on a global scale.

As part of its ongoing efforts in this domain, the Department for Education launched a call for evidence in June, inviting educational professionals to provide their perspectives on the risks, ethical considerations and possibilities of AI in education.

The results of this call for evidence will be published in November 2023, complementing the insights gathered during this month's hackathons. Together, these findings will support the government's work in harnessing AI's potential and ensuring its responsible and equitable integration into the education system.