From reducing teacher workload to assisting students with assignment feedback, Brisbane Catholic Education is leading the way with its early adoption of game-changing generative AI technologies.
BCE has instigated pilot programs across some of its 146 schools to learn more about incorporating generative AI technologies into everyday school life.
The early results of the pilot programs have been promising – a reduction of more than nine hours a week in administrative tasks for teachers, enhanced student literacy and numeracy skills, and improved student and staff wellbeing.
“We identified early on that this AI trend would not disappear, and we knew that we wanted to lead in this space, but to get where we are now, we had to lay a lot of foundational work first focused on data analytics and cyber security,” BCE Information and Technology Executive Leigh Williams said.
“Because of this relentless focus on data and cyber, we have been able to move forward with Copilot and similar technologies safely and securely,” she said.
BCE has partnered with Microsoft to analyse the impact of AI in education, learning with ethical principles at its core.
As the first Australian organisation – and first K-12 education organisation in the world – to join the Rome Call on AI Ethics, schools have the reassurance and direction needed to fully embrace what cutting-edge technologies such as Microsoft Copilot have to offer.
BCE Executive Director Dr Sally Towns emphasised the importance of having a set of ethical principles in place before embarking on a technology initiative like AI to help guide the design and structure of our solutions and platforms.
“The Vatican’s call aligns perfectly with our mission to teach, challenge and transform through our service, support and leadership of Catholic education,” Dr Towns said.
“We are committed to leveraging AI technologies for the common good, ensuring that it enriches and enhances the lives of everyone we serve.
“This commitment is why we are proud to be the first K-12 education organisation in the world to partner with Microsoft and the Vatican as ambassadors for the Rome Call for AI Ethics.”
“This means that we have excellent teachers who are less stressed and have more time to focus on their students’ learning and wellbeing” Ms Williams said.
St Francis College Crestmead Principal John Marinucci said his experiences in the pilot suggest that AI integration in schools will transform education by automating administrative tasks, improving student learning and wellbeing and allowing teachers to focus on engagement and deeper learning experiences.
“Students will benefit from personalised learning, making education more impactful and effective,” Mr Marinucci said. “With AI's continuous advancement, we can expect a dynamic learning environment that prepares students for future challenges.”
“It’s about increasing student engagement, workload reduction for teachers, and the ability to hyper-personalise teaching and learning.
“Copilot and other Microsoft programs such as Reading Coach are tools that directly serve our students and assist teachers with real time data that allows them to make informed, personalised decisions for the benefit of each individual child.”
Another pilot with Year 11 and 12 students at Trinity College Beenleigh showed a significant boost in student wellbeing leading up to exam time and busting any myths of students using AI to “cheat” but instead enhance learning.
Trinity College Beenleigh Principal Allison Elcoate said they were just starting to uncover the vast potential of AI in their classrooms, however the results have so far been “remarkable”.
“Copilot is creating new opportunities for deeper learning experiences by guiding students to independently seek answers, providing immediate and precise feedback, and offering avenues to explore and challenge themselves beyond traditional capabilities,” Ms Elcoate said.
“Meanwhile, teachers play a crucial role in this dynamic landscape, leveraging AI to enhance their instructional strategies to personalise learning, and focus more on mentoring and supporting students’ individual growth.”
Ms Williams continues to be an advocate for AI in education and in December will join a panel of industry experts in Sydney at Microsoft’s global AI Tour. Ms Williams will represent the voice of AI in the education industry and how it is shaping future generations.