The principal, who has hired the school’s first AI chief, said children must be taught to make robots “servants of goodwill.”
Tom Rogerson, principal of the Cotsmore School, a boarding school in West Sussex, has launched a search for AI experts to prepare his children for the future by incorporating the technology into their curriculum.
The 48-year-old maverick principal said, “We have to prepare the children for a life together using AI and AI-equipped robots.”
“They must learn it to be their merciful servant.”
He wants his students to learn how to use AI for creative inspiration. For example, at the beginning of a design and technology lesson, the application can be used to create a “mood board” of images that inspire work.
High school students need to learn how to write in classrooms without AI and how to do so with “prompt” technologies such as ChatGPT, he said.
“An essay written by ChatGPT is only worthwhile at your prompting,” he said. “We need a generation of master prompters.”
“We need to embrace AI”
Winner of awards such as Tatler’s Prep School of the Year, Cotsmore School is a boarding school for boys and girls ages 4 to 13. It covers 35 acres with extensive sports facilities, an adventure playground, a lake and a pig farm. , quail, duck, chicken. Tuition costs for UK students are up to around £32,000 per year.
Mr Rogerson said: “AI will become part of their lives. We have to coexist.”
Using a technology known as an “intelligent tutoring system,” the school is exploring ways to use AI in the classroom to direct students to perform specific tasks and provide feedback. We are also exploring ways to use language-learning applications to provide instant feedback on pronunciation, comprehension, and fluency.
The new AI lead will be tasked with showing teachers and administrators how technology can be used to reduce their workload.
Mr Rogerson said: “I can write an entire work plan, or I can write an entire lesson plan, if I feel like it.” [with AI]. Writing a lesson plan is an utterly thankless task.
“No one marks them. No one checks their grammar. In terms of mundane life, that’s amazing.”
early adopter
Rogerson plans to introduce teachers to AI’s potential in the classroom at the school’s free AI “masterclass festival” in early September. The festival is open to all educational professionals, including state school teachers.
“I want to be able to spend more face-to-face time with my children,” said Rogerson. “Taking care of the children. That’s what school is all about.”
The principal, who says he has always been an early adopter of new technology, said he first learned about ChatGPT late last year from his nephew, who is a student at Cotsmore College. He then started reading more about his latest innovations in AI and playing around with an app called Wonder that creates generative art AI.
“I thought this was going to change the world,” he said.
Rogerson believes that schools should divide traditional knowledge-based learning and new skill learning equally. He also believes that children should spend half their time in activities that aren’t supported by AI.
“The constant use of AI can lead humans to lose their creativity, but only if we take it too literally where I think there is great danger.”
He believes the future job market will be very different for his students.
“It is more important than ever to teach people how to live a good life and how to work with other people and with artificial intelligence and robots.
“Character education has never been more important. We need to push these things to the top of the agenda now.”
The school is looking for candidates with AI degrees and teaching experience. Mr Rogerson is one of a group of school leaders led by Sir Anthony Seldon, president of the University of Epsom. The group is establishing a multidisciplinary body to advise and protect schools from the risks of AI that could be used to aid fraud. Effects on children’s mental and physical health.
Rogerson said about a third of principals were “early adopters” of AI, a third had tried it but were vague, and a third weren’t involved with it at all. said.
“There are three main camps. But I think eventually everyone will be in.”
