Federal Education Minister Jason Clare has indicated that a ban on public school students using artificial intelligence tools like ChatGPT could be reversed next year. Speaking on Sunday, Clare said state and territory ministers have agreed on a draft framework for teachers on how the technology should be used in schools.
The draft framework, which has not yet been publicly released, recommends an overhaul of assessments to prevent students using such tools to 'bluff the system', Clare said. The technology is currently banned in most public school classrooms due to concerns over plagiarism, cheating, and negative impacts on learning.
Clare warned that public school students could be left behind if the ban remains, as some private schools are already teaching students how to use ChatGPT appropriately. 'This is the sort of thing that students are going to need to learn how to use properly,' Clare told Sky News. 'You can't just put it away and assume that students won't use it.'
Toby Walsh, chief scientist at the University of New South Wales' AI Institute, welcomed the move to reverse what he called a 'knee-jerk reaction' ban. 'Just as we've embraced calculators, we need to work out how to embrace this technology,' Walsh said.
Amber Flohm, senior vice president of the NSW Teachers Federation, said any use of ChatGPT in classrooms must be backed by evidence that it benefits teachers and students. 'Any costs associated with using AI in classrooms must be borne by the government, not schools, to ensure access and equity for all our students,' Flohm said.
Clare said the draft framework would also address privacy concerns and that feedback would be sought from teachers, principals, parents, and students over the next few weeks. The framework may lead to changes in how students are tested and graded, similar to changes already implemented by Australian universities, which have increased the use of pen-and-paper exams.
