What do students think about using AI in schoolwork? What do they think is an appropriate use of AI in homework?
A new survey of around 4,000 UK students aged 13 to 18 has found that there are many divided opinions about the appropriate use of AI in homework. The study, published by Oxford University Press (n.d.), included both survey and qualitative research to explore what role teenagers think AI plays in education and how they approach the use of AI in their academic work. The study heard from 3,100 13- to 18-year-olds, and an additional qualitative school study involved 700 students of the same age group.
Overall, only 16% of participants expressed concern about the impact of AI on education, citing misinformation, environmental impact, laziness, and lack of creativity as reasons for their concerns. However, more than a third (39%) said they were more excited than worried about the impact AI would have on education. The report includes some students’ reasons for holding this view.
“It gives us the latest technology available in schools while maintaining traditional teaching methods.”
“While the teacher is busy helping others, I’m not sitting around not knowing anything, instead I use AI to guide me through the parts of the lesson that I don’t understand.”
Utilizing AI for homework
The study’s survey questions specifically asked students about their use of AI to complete homework, and the results showed that usage varied widely. One in four (24%) said they regularly seek out AI tools, one in three (34%) said they would use AI if a teacher suggested it, and just over one in 10 (13%) said they would use AI if a friend was doing the same.
“Appropriate use is a gray area as students are not clear on what constitutes cheating,” the report said.
When asked for their opinion on what uses of AI constitutes cheating, almost half (44%) said they believe using AI to complete all of their homework is cheating. Almost a third (31%) believe it is cheating to use an AI tool to complete homework that they will read and change later, and nearly a fifth (19%) say it is cheating to use an AI tool to ask questions when they don’t understand something. The same percentage (19%) believe that using AI to review, revise or improve homework is cheating, and 18% believe asking AI tools for homework ideas and tips is cheating.
What tasks will students use AI for?
Part of the qualitative study at the school involved asking participants to write a short essay answering the question, “How do you think generative AI is impacting your education?” They were told, “There are no right or wrong answers. We want to hear your honest opinions.” If desired, you can use generative AI tools for this task. There are no restrictions on how you can use this tool. ”
Interestingly, of those with access to AI, the majority (72%) decided to: do not have Use it for writing practice. Among those without access to AI, only 23% said they wanted to use it. Students cited various reasons for not wanting to use AI for this task.
“AI doesn’t understand me as well as I do, so I want to keep the research work my own.”
“That’s not actually what I really think, it’s just a vague interpretation of what I told the robot to expand on, and it might not make sense.”
“AI doesn’t have opinions, so it can’t write what the user is thinking or believing, and it can sometimes provide false information.”
The person who says did Those who decided to use AI to assist with their writing tasks also cited their reasons for doing so. Their answers included:
“It helped me organize my ideas clearly and quickly.”
“It’s easier and takes less time and effort.”
“Because I was too lazy to write it myself.”
What kind of support do students want from their teachers?
With technology rapidly evolving and research and evidence still emerging, students can provide valuable insights for teachers considering how they can integrate the use of AI in their classrooms.
In this study, when students were asked what kind of support they would like to see from their school, the majority (77%) said they would like their teachers to use AI to support their lessons. Specifically, 25% said they wanted their teachers to use AI tools to make complex tasks easier to understand, 18% said they wanted their teachers to use AI to plan fun lessons, and 14% said they wanted their teachers to use AI to help with exam practice questions. Conversely, 15% of respondents said they did not want their teachers to use AI to support their lessons.
Respondents also outlined the skills they believe are needed to be able to use AI more effectively in academic work. Some of the areas mentioned include guidance on how to create prompts more effectively, instructions to ensure prompts are not “cheating,” and information on how to use AI tools for meaningful revision.
Students also understood the skills and attributes that teachers had that AI tools lacked.
“Being a true empathetic person who has spent years of his life gaining the knowledge necessary to teach well.”
“I understand when a student is struggling and explain things in a different way until it hits home. I also notice if someone is upset or needs extra help.”
“Individuality that breathes life into the subject.”
Teachers’ perspective
Finally, the study also captured teachers’ perspectives on how their students view AI, asking them what kind of support they thought would be helpful to them when using AI in their schools. Their answers included:
“Resources for teaching students how to use AI in safe and productive ways. Model policy document.
“I want to share ideas in a more productive way.” [and] A supportive environment. We shared examples where AI worked well and where it didn’t. We need clear guidelines on how to use AI safely and training on how to support students in using it appropriately. With the tools and training, we want to use AI more effectively. ”
References
Oxford University Press (n.d.). Utilizing AI in education: Student perspectives on the role of AI in the classroom. https://fdslive.oup.com/www.oup.com/oxed/research-reports/Navigating_AI_in_Education_Research_Report_ June2026.pdf?region=uk
