AI In Education | Epsom College
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On 18 May, Epsom College hosted a landmark conference on how AI will change education.

Some of this country’s leading thinkers and pioneers in the world of AI lifted the lid on how artificial intelligence will transform teaching, improve learning, and alter education over the next 5-10 years. 

In his keynote speech, Sir Anthony Seldon highlighted the associated risks and rewards that AI would bring to the sector, and called into doubt the government’s capacity to regulate and advise on a technology that is experiencing such profound and rapid change.

Resultingly, he called on delegates – attending in person and watching remotely – to sign a letter to The Times supporting the launch of a cross-sector body of leaders from within education to help schools, and educationalists, navigate their way through AI. 

Over 100 delegates gave their support to the letter, with lead signatories hailing from state, independent and grammar schools as well as the ASCL (Association of School and College Leaders). 

The story was front-page news in The Times, Financial Times, The Guardian, Independent and a lead item on both the BBC and Sky News – clearly highlighting the urgency and need for action.

 

Watch Again

 

Due to copyright restrictions, a small part of Dan Fitzpatrick’s talk has been edited,
and we are unable to broadcast Priya Lakhani’s talk. Apologies for any inconvenience.

Our Speakers

Dan Fitzpatrick

The AI Educator

Dan is the author of The AI Classroom: Teaching & Learning in the Artificial Intelligence Revolution.

He was awarded the Tech Champion Award at the Digital Industry Dynamite Awards 2022 and featured in the latest EdTech50. He is currently the Strategic Lead for Digital at EPNE and Director at Edufuturists.

Before that, Dan was a teacher and a senior leader in a secondary school. He has an MA from Durham University, a PGCE from UCL and a Post Graduate Diploma in Design Thinking & Innovation from MIT.

Watch Dan debate AI’s impact in schools with Richard Madely and Susanna Reid on Good Morning Britain.

Learn more

Professor Rose Luckin

Rose is a UCL Professor renowned for research into the design and evaluation of educational technology, in particular AI. Named as one of the 20 most influential people in education in the Seldon List, 2017, she frequently provides expert evidence to policymakers, in the UK and Europe.

Her 2018 book, Machine Learning and Human Intelligence: The Future of Education for the 21st Century describes how AI can be used effectively to support teaching and learning. While her most recent book, AI for Schoolteachers, is an essential guide to AI for anyone involved in education. Rose is also lead author of Nesta’s influential Decoding Learning report and Pearson’s Unleashing Intelligence.

She also founded Educate Ventures Research, a London hub for educational technology start-ups, researchers and educators involved in leveraging AI for educational benefit. 

Rose has taught in the secondary, further education and university sectors and she is president of the Self-Managed Learning College in Brighton. She has also spent time in University Management as a Director of Undergraduate Studies and Pro Vice-Chancellor.

Watch Rose's keynote speech at the Cambridge Summit of Education

Sofia Fenichell

Generative AI & The Future of Reading, Comprehension and Assessments

Sofia Fenichell is the former founder of award-winning edtech publisher Mrs Wordsmith. She has been working with academics, educators and AI technologists to develop a safe, productive platform for schools and pupils since September 2021. StudyHall.AI was awarded a prestigious Innovate UK Grant to develop cutting-edge edtech applications in AI. 

StudyHall.AI is the world’s first generative AI personalised learning and assessment platform. It is an end-to-end platform for reading, comprehension and assessment across a wide range of KS2-KS4 subjects. The platform uses generative AI to personalise content that students are interested in, and align it to the curriculum.

The platform works with a number of publishers, including Penguin Random House, to use AI to enrich books with background knowledge, vocabulary and curriculum materials for KS2-KS4. StudyHall.AI will also run a Sutton Trust research trial during the summer of 2023. 

Watch Sofia's TEDxLSE Talk 'Content, Not Technology Will Save Education'

Chris Goodall

From Concept to Classroom: AI in Education

Chris is an experienced school leader, education consultant, IT strategist and project manager with over 20 years’ experience. He has a successful track record of leading projects, implementing strategies and developing solutions that have positively impacted the education sector.

His talk will explore the potential of AI in education and demonstrate how to effectively integrate AI-driven tools into classroom pedagogy, highlighting the latest advancements and best practices.

Chris began his career in the IT industry at Compaq before moving into education and then IT consultancy, where he provided strategic advice on the role of ICT in educational transformation. He served as the IT Strategy Adviser for Surrey County Council, and later became Head of Surrey Online School. Here, he developed a suite of online learning solutions to provide high-quality teaching and learning to all Surrey schools and services.

Chris is currently Deputy Head at Epsom & Ewell High School.

Priya Lakhani OBE

Priya Lakhani OBE is the Founder CEO of Century Tech. This award-winning education technology company develops AI-powered learning tools for schools, colleges, universities and corporate education providers.

Priya was named Business Entrepreneur of the Year in 2009 and has received a number of awards for her work at Century, including:

  • The Mayor’s Fund Special Recognition Award (2016)
  • the MIT Solve award (2018)
  • the Economic Innovator of the Year by The Spectator (2019)

Century was named a Tech Pioneer by the World Economic Forum (2021), Supporting Associate of the Year (2022) by the Council of British International Schools (COBIS) and was selected as the Top Product by EdTech Impact in the Summer 2022 Awards.

Most recently, Century Tech was named Supporting Associate of the Year (2022) by the Council of British International Schools and EdTech Impact’s Top Product in the Summer 2022 Awards.

Priya sits on the UK government’s AI Council and is a co-founder of the Institute for Ethical AI in Education. She holds numerous trustee and non-executive posts, and was awarded an OBE in 2014. She received an honorary doctorate from Coventry University’s engineering faculty in 2020.

Watch Priya's Solve 2019 Presentation at MIT

Sir Anthony Seldon

Sir Anthony Seldon, the 15th Head of Epsom College, is one of the UK’s leading educationalists and writers, and is hosting the conference.

Among the many award-winning books he has authored is the key text on AI in education: The Fourth Education Revolution. Within the book, Sir Anthony says: “Our politicians, educators and administrators the world over are asleep to the fourth education revolution hurtling towards us. We are failing our young people, our country and the world by not adapting quickly enough to how AI will change the way that education takes place, the jobs it is preparing them for, and the society in which they will live”.

“AI is the biggest change to education since the printing press. It can be compared to the arrival of the internal combustion engine in the 1880s, except it will change the world far more subtly and profoundly. If we can take the right decisions, we will see the biggest enhancement of human fulfilment and happiness the world has seen. Get it wrong and the quality of our life will suffer a catastrophic loss.”

Watch Sir Anthony at the RSA conference, 'Educating for a Better Future'

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