Every year we get the return of these little monsters….
Stand on one of these and you know it, wow you know it. Try picking one up and it’s like those dreaded Covid vaccine jabs all over again, just this time 50 jabs for the price of one.
And yes, for a month, it’s the gift that keeps on giving. All these have to come down……
The other night I was listening to someone from one of the exam boards on the radio. Not intentionally, I was waiting for my so called football team’s match to start, it was the next programme. Anyways this exam person said something that worried me a lot…..
One of the big complaints about the UK school system is that it is too inflexible, almost like a factory production line. Pushing too many children, regardless of individual need, regardless of if it’s working or not for them, through the same education channels. A one shoe fits all approach. Then the kids get to exams and then often 10 years of schooling comes down to 10 or more written exams, crammed into a couple of weeks. Written exams just don’t suit every child. They often don’t allow the individual child to demonstrate what amazing talents and skills they have. Don’t get good grades in those written exams and you can be way too quickly written off.
Thankfully things started to change a little. More course work counting towards final grades in some exams, allowing scribes and allowing typed answers. Hawklad got a bit more time and was allowed to type his answers, two fingered typing on a school laptop. Surely more flexibility is good for our children, it must be about making schools work for each child.
Back to this exam person on the radio. He was talking about the spread of AI and the problems it’s causing. AI has apparently got so powerful, it is just too professional at writing top answers to whatever you ask it. He was saying that he’s been in meetings nationally were there has been real concern that the treasured school exam integrity is being undermined now. It’s too easy for pupils to use AI to write top mark coursework, producing complete essays in just a few seconds and because AI is developing, it’s way harder for exam boards to pick out those pupils who are ‘cheating the system’ . It is also way harder for exam boards to make sure those pupils sitting exams via a laptop are not also using AI to cheat the system.
So one option being considered is too go back to old school exams. Absolutely no coursework counting to marks, no use of laptops in exams. Pupils sit old school exams using just a pen. That way the exams reputation and integrity is protected……
I never heard him mention the needs of the children once. It was all about the needs of the schools, the exams and the economy. No consideration of if AI could allow for more individuality in schooling, provide more options for teachers to find what works for each child. If they did go back to just old school written exams, it’s going to hurt way too many kids, all to just protect an outdated system. What a huge mistake that would be.
A Dad trying to cope with the loss of his Partner and becoming a single parent. 
It seems to me they could use a laptop to type answers without it being connected to the internet.
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I agree. KIds who cant use a pen, cant write for various reasons, this is not the answer, to the exam situation. I don’t know what is, but this isn’t. X
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My grandson is in 10th grade and doing IB certification. All his exams are conducted on a laptop, even Urdu. They have school laptops and there are restrictions to sites they can connect to.
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When I went back to school to do adult courses, one course, my GCSE English, I understood to believe when we used a computer at one point, there were restrictions. There was also, what we were using, we were told would warn you if it felt you had copied your words from elsewhere.
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Yes, nowadays the system is advanced enough for kids to be aware of trying to cheat or copy
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“I never heard him mention the needs of the children once. It was all about the needs of the schools, the exams and the economy.” says it all
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The nonsense they speak about exams now, tsk, tsk.
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To understand more of what others need, takes listening and looking at clues, kindness and knowing something of ourselves. These are the things that have not been pushed forward, for the greedy want workers that fit into the factories and behind the guns.
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This sends chills up my spine. AI ought to be abolished – in my opinion. No good can come of it and no one will convince me otherwise. It’s hard enough to educate children without what you are describing. The conkers picture reminded me of the Tribles (I think that’s what they were called?) in Star Trek.
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Those things look like porcupines. What are they?!
I’ve been doing work related to AI literacy this year. While I do see its many benefits, one big area of concern is related to misuse in academic settings. For sure, a big challenge for teachers and schools to keep on top of!
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It’s hard, but not impossible, to stop the use of AI. For exams, students can have internet-disabled laptops with just some scratchy old notepad software to write. And for essays it’s possible to search for whether the text has been produced by AI. Obviously it would be hard to do this for every student, but it’s not impossible.
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Ouch – I haven’t ever seen these! Crikey; be careful….
Knee jerk reactions are always painful. They generally subside over time. But, in the school system there are always those who gain, and those who suffer. Sad, but what can you do? As a dyslexic I gained so much more after those school years than during. The same can probably be said for many!
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So his solution was to pretend AI doesn’t exist and go back in time? Sound like our US government – just rewind to the golden glory days of old. What a maroon! Got forbid that educators might have to become creative and think of new ways to assess their students. AI is here to stay. When we were growing up, we all memorized our friends’ phone numbers because smart phones didn’t exist. Today, I couldn’t tell you my best friend’s number because it’s programmed into my phone. As tech changes, everything changes. The way is forward, not retreating in fear. Watch your feet on those chestnuts!
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My kids went to school when “coursework” was seen as the key, but before we had AI. Some of the coursework I saw had clearly been done by parents. Didn’t teach the kids much apart from the fact that cheating pays.
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I’m sorry, I didn’t read the rest of your post…those things at the top just look painful. Ouchie!
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I definitely believe it about AI… I know that when I was in college some of the students over used AI to the point that they weren’t doing their own work. It does making cheating an issue. It’s tough… because AI could be used for some good. It’s far superior to doing a Google search. It also makes a good sounding board when you have your own original ideas but you’re unsure how to execute them. Anything in this world can be abused. Just before I finished college the college was coming up with AI guidelines. It looked like they would allow AI for certain assignments but not other things. How they would enforce this, I’m not too sure.
Whether AI is an issue or not, there still should be some accommodations made for those who struggle to take exams. I always do terrible on tests…. 😐
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Kids need to be educated on new systems I believe because it’s here whether we like it or not.. so educating them on it and how to respectfully use it , not cheat, be honest, talk about it collaboratively and implement communication skills about it, so the new systems are used with care and respect.
I know some children who have been in trouble for using AI.. I asked “where they educated on its use and how it works and when and why to use it and when not to? The answer was no..
I don’t like where many things are going AI but it is and if our kids aren’t taught about it and are kept from it, they won’t be able to navigate through much as they grow up as it’s becoming an entire system used everywhere all the time.
As far as tests go, it seems to be if taught to respect the system and uses and communication is implemented then it would be the same as not cheating while looking at your neighbors paper or passing notes.. it is all taught right and wrong and it’s communicated and talked and taught to them as they grow up.. so should the new system so they are not lost in the new systems with no knowledge.. these systems are way more dangerous and if not educated on them than pen and paper.
Communication, connection, collaboration, and sharing ideas and thoughts, needs and help in classes should be implemented for everything.. we are missing their voices , kids have wonderful ideas and need to be heard first and foremost.
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I feel that schools embraced computers with open arms, to address failing needs all over the place. Many, many teachers grew lazy in connecting with each student. Then again, many children fail because they lack attentive parents or a parent, then the teachers are expected to fill all gaps.
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There are so many nuances to consider in the use of AI. It seems academic institutions need to find ways to assist students in his ethical use. Ideally in ways which enhance critical thinking. There is lots of consider for certain, your point regarding the students need is well made.
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The local schools here all have chromebooks that school provides for a small yearly fee. Oh my those little thorny things look like some kind of creature from a scary movie I washed when I was in my 20′ oh I remember something out of the Gremilin movie hahaha
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Ugh about the school issues, when will they start putting the children first. Caring about their needs!
Ouch on the “porcupine thingy’s!”
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AI is a tricky thing, my friend. xxxxxxx I appreciate that AI has the potential to help kids, but the problem is that AI isn’t actually trained with the kids who need it. I’ve been researching this quite a bit; typically the control groups are all neurotypical, and the software is so astronomically expensive that those in need wouldn’t be able to access it.
I’ve also seen far too many university students use AI as a shortcut to critical reading and writing tasks that they need to be ready for work in countless professions. Does AI have the potential to help those in need? Definitely. But are we there yet? No.
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I agree with you.
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