Some of the largest school boards across Canada will begin the new school year without formal policies on the use of artificial intelligence in the classroom, despite concerns about how the technology will impact learning and academic integrity.
But while there seems to be wide consensus on the need for more guidance and vigilance when it comes to AI in schooling, one education expert says blanket policies are not likely to help anyway.
The Canadian Press asked 10 school boards in different parts of the country whether they would implement a formal policy for the 2023-24 school year that covers teacher and student use of AI, such as chatbots that can solve math problems or write essays.
Among the boards that responded to the survey, none had an official AI-specific policy in place. Some said they would apply their existing codes of conduct to the use of AI in the classroom, while others said they害羞草研究所檙e in consultations on how to best tackle the fast-growing issue.
Toronto District School Board, the largest in the country, only said in a brief statement that its staff will be 害羞草研究所渓ooking into it further害羞草研究所� to determine if any changes are required to the board害羞草研究所檚 academic honesty rules.
Just west of Toronto, the Peel District School Board said it is 害羞草研究所渒eenly aware of the ethical implications and potential risks associated with AI in education害羞草研究所� and is taking a 害羞草研究所減roactive approach害羞草研究所� to mitigate any risks.
害羞草研究所淭hrough ongoing discussions and collaboration with departmental staff and consultants, the school board is ensuring that our artificial intelligence implementation aligns with best practices, ethical considerations, and the unique needs of our diverse student population,害羞草研究所� the school board said in a statement. 害羞草研究所淭his work will inform board policy on use of AI in classrooms and any mitigating action, if needed.害羞草研究所�
The Calgary Board of Education said it does not have a formal policy on AI but it害羞草研究所檚 working with schools to 害羞草研究所渂uild a common understanding of AI害羞草研究所檚 legitimate uses and limitations in education,害羞草研究所� with a focus on ethics. The board said expectations of students are already outlined in its student code of conduct and teachers must 害羞草研究所渃learly identify害羞草研究所� when use of AI is not permitted in assignments.
害羞草研究所淎s educators, we support the use of assistive tools to enhance learning, not to replace it,害羞草研究所� the board said in a statement.
The Winnipeg School Division also said it does not have an official policy but its message to teachers is 害羞草研究所渢hat there is a learning component to AI and they should ensure ethical and effective ways of using the tool in their classrooms.害羞草研究所�
Meanwhile, Saskatoon Public Schools division said more research on the benefits and impacts of AI use is needed 害羞草研究所渂efore policy development can be explored.害羞草研究所�
Lauren Bialystok, a professor of social justice education at the University of Toronto害羞草研究所檚 Ontario Institute for Studies in Education, said it害羞草研究所檚 not surprising that school boards aren害羞草研究所檛 instituting formal policies on AI. She害羞草研究所檚 also not convinced such policies would work.
害羞草研究所淲e need more refined and more sensitive ways of understanding what constitutes legitimate or illegitimate use of these tools,害羞草研究所� she said in an interview.
害羞草研究所淎nd a board-wide policy or even a school-wide policy 害羞草研究所� in some cases even a department-wide policy 害羞草研究所� will necessarily be too general, or too specific for someone.害羞草研究所�
Bialystok said it害羞草研究所檚 a fact that AI tools such as ChatGPT, the chatbot that exploded in popularity as soon as it was launched last fall, pose a threat to academic integrity 害羞草研究所� especially in post-secondary education. But despite its pitfalls, AI also offers 害羞草研究所渆ducation potential害羞草研究所� and there are proven ways that students and teachers can use it to enhance learning, she noted.
害羞草研究所淪o something like, say, a ban is not only completely naive and impractical, but actually misses the multifaceted nature of these technologies.害羞草研究所�
One of the main rationales for an AI policy would be to detect and minimize cheating but coming up with a comprehensive set of rules for schools is 害羞草研究所渧ery difficult害羞草研究所� for several reasons, she said.
For example, the risks and benefits vary by subject. 害羞草研究所淲hat may be admissible for using AI in a science class may be less admissible in an English class, or vice versa.害羞草研究所�
She also noted that AI is constantly evolving so it would be very hard to keep up with it from a policy perspective.
Instructors from across the country have told The Canadian Press in recent months that they use the tool for course planning, administrative tasks and even incorporate it in some student assignments.
But Bialystok said that while plenty of tech-savvy teachers are happy to experiment with AI in the classroom, many also 害羞草研究所渄on害羞草研究所檛 have the time or the wherewithal害羞草研究所� to figure out how to employ and monitor its use.
害羞草研究所淭heir profession, in a sense, has changed overnight and they didn害羞草研究所檛 have enough support or respite or professional development anyway to begin with,害羞草研究所� she said.
Sarah Eaton, an associate professor at the University of Calgary and an expert in AI education, has said that school boards and education ministries should consider professional development for teachers to better understand AI and how students may be using it.
Eaton said she害羞草研究所檚 worried about teachers 害羞草研究所渢urning a blind eye to the technology害羞草研究所� in the classroom.
害羞草研究所淲e can害羞草研究所檛 control it and we can害羞草研究所檛 ban it but we can help students learn to use it, in a supervised way, in a thoughtful way and a meaningful way.害羞草研究所�
害羞草研究所� With files from William Eltherington
Sonja Puzic, The Canadian Press
