AI takes off in Australian schools

Like many places in the world, AI is Australia’s most desirable skill right now.

Like many others throughout the world, schools across Australia are integrating AI into their classrooms.

UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) says AI literacy is now a must-have in education, as the technology advances rapidly and will be a fixture in jobs of the future.

In Australia, the LinkedIn “2025 Skills on the Rise” report places AI skills at the top of the national demand list. Schools now face the task of preparing students not only to understand how AI works and what its risks are, but also develop the human-centred skills that will become even more critical in careers where AI is used.

Australian educators are ahead in AI

Australian teachers are already ahead of many of their peers in other parts of the world. Results from the OECD’s Teaching and Learning International Survey (TALIS) show that around 66 % of Australia’s lower-secondary teachers reported using AI in the past year – far above the OECD average of 36 %.

Amongst educators, the most common applications include brainstorming lesson plans and summarising content (71%). Fewer teachers, however, are using AI for tasks such as reviewing student data (9%) or assessing student work (15%), figures that are below the OECD averages of 28% and 30%.

New skills for all

It’s not just the students who need to understand more about AI; parents are also being encouraged to explore AI tools such as ChatGPT, Gemini and Midjourney to develop their own skills and better understand how their children are learning with the technology.

Read the full article at The Educator Online