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Draft schools AI framework open for consultation

The draft framework for safe and effective use of artificial intelligence in the nation’s schools has been released for consultation.

<p>Education Ministers agreed in March to establish a National Artificial Intelligence &lpar;AI&rpar; Taskforce to develop a draft framework for using AI in schools&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<p>The <a href&equals;"https&colon;&sol;&sol;education&period;nsw&period;gov&period;au&sol;about-us&sol;strategies-and-reports&sol;draft-national-ai-in-schools-framework" data-auth&equals;"NotApplicable">draft framework<&sol;a> was presented to Education Ministers earlier this month and Ministers agreed to release this draft to get advice&comma; feedback and ideas from teachers&comma; parents&comma; students and other stakeholders&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<p><a href&equals;"https&colon;&sol;&sol;school-news&period;com&period;au&sol;latest-print-issue&sol;" target&equals;"&lowbar;blank" rel&equals;"noopener"><strong>Read the Term 2 edition of <em>School News<&sol;em> HERE<&sol;strong><&sol;a><&sol;p>&NewLine;<p>Outcomes from the consultation will support the development of the final Australian Framework for Generative Artificial Intelligence in Schools to ensure schools&comma; teachers&comma; and students enjoy the benefits of generative AI while safeguarding against potential risks&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<p>Federal Education Minister Jason Clare said AI is not going away&period;  &OpenCurlyDoubleQuote;Like the calculator or the internet&comma; we need to learn how to grapple with this new technology&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<blockquote>&NewLine;<p>&OpenCurlyDoubleQuote;There are lots of opportunities&comma; but there are also challenges and risks&period; We need to make sure students use AI for good and get the marks they deserve and don’t use it to cheat&comma; while also ensuring their privacy is protected&period;”<&sol;p>&NewLine;<&sol;blockquote>&NewLine;<p>Independent Schools Australia &lpar;ASI&rpar; has made seven recommendations in its submission to the House of Representatives Standing Committee on Employment&comma; Education and Training Inquiry into the use of generative artificial intelligence in the Australian education system&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<p>ISA Chief Executive Officer&comma; Mr Graham Catt said&comma; &OpenCurlyDoubleQuote;Advances in the development of generative AI technology are rapid and exponential&comma; which makes this issue particularly pressing&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<p>&OpenCurlyDoubleQuote;Some schools have been able to embrace generative AI and gain insights that the whole education sector could benefit from&comma; but the real message from our sector is that we need frameworks&comma; structures&comma; and resources to support our schools and teachers&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<p>&OpenCurlyDoubleQuote;We see great potential for generative AI to support individual learning needs and play a role in reducing educational disadvantage&period; But along with these opportunities come significant risks&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<blockquote>&NewLine;<p>&OpenCurlyDoubleQuote;The stakes are high&comma; and leadership from governments is essential if we are to develop and deliver safe&comma; effective educational AI technologies&comma;” Mr Catt said&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<&sol;blockquote>&NewLine;<p>ISA recommendations include forming a federal education advisory body consisting of key stakeholders from all education sectors and academics to examine the benefits and risk of generative AI and inform education policy&semi; easy access to resources for educators on generative AI in education on a dedicated website&semi; and initial teacher education courses to ensure the next generation of teachers will be using AI in their teaching and assessment practices&comma; and guiding students who will also inevitably be using the technology&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<p>Globally&comma; regulation of AI use in education is limited&period; While Japan and the European Union have released frameworks to assist educators in navigating the use of AI in education&comma; a UNESCO global survey of more than 450 schools and universities found that fewer than 10 percent have developed institutional policies and&sol;or formal guidance concerning the use of generative AI applications&period; <&sol;p>&NewLine;<p>The draft Australian framework was developed by a taskforce including representatives from all States and Territories and the Australian Government&comma; as well as the Australian Education Research Organisation &lpar;AERO&rpar;&comma; the Australian Institute for Teaching and School Leadership &lpar;AITSL&rpar;&comma; and Education Services Australia &lpar;ESA&rpar;&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<p>Taskforce representatives from each State and Territory will consult with teachers&comma; school leaders&comma; students&comma; parents and guardians&comma; education unions and other key stakeholders&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<p>The NSW Department of Education is the Secretariat for the taskforce and will lead the consultation process&period; More information can be found on <a href&equals;"https&colon;&sol;&sol;education&period;nsw&period;gov&period;au&sol;about-us&sol;strategies-and-reports&sol;draft-national-ai-in-schools-framework" data-auth&equals;"NotApplicable">the NSW Education website<&sol;a>&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;

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