ITP - 134: AI in Education, Teaching, and the Future of Schools

Greg: Welcome to the International Teacher Podcast with your host JP Mint and Greg the Single Guy, bringing you episodes from around the world about the best kept secret in education.

Greg: You got it. International teaching. Welcome to the show. Welcome to Episode 134 of the ITP.

Greg: Today we have a really interesting guest and a slightly different direction than we usually go. We’re diving into AI in education, which is something everyone is talking about, but not everyone actually understands.

Greg: And we’ve got someone who does.

Greg: So joining us today is Rita Bateson. Rita, welcome to the show.

Rita: Thank you so much. I’m really happy to be here.

Greg: So we usually start the same way with all of our guests. Give us the quick version of your journey into international teaching and how you ended up where you are now.

Rita: Sure. So I started out in the UK, trained as a teacher there, and very quickly realized that I wanted to work internationally.

Rita: My first international move was to Switzerland, and that really opened my eyes to what international education could be.

Rita: From there, I worked in a number of different countries, including Germany and Bermuda, and each experience added something new to my understanding of education.

Rita: Over time, I became more interested in curriculum development and how we design learning experiences for students.

Rita: That eventually led me into working more closely with technology, and more recently, with artificial intelligence in education.

Greg: So when you say AI in education, that’s a phrase that gets thrown around a lot right now. What does that actually mean in your day-to-day work?

Rita: That’s a great question, because it can mean a lot of different things.

Rita: For me, it’s about understanding how tools like generative AI can support teaching and learning, but also where the boundaries need to be.

Rita: There’s a lot of excitement, but also a lot of misunderstanding about what AI can and should do in schools.

Greg: Yeah, I think that’s where a lot of teachers are right now. There’s curiosity, but also a bit of panic.

Greg: Like, is this going to replace us? Are students just going to have AI do all their work?

Rita: Exactly. And I think that’s where we need to slow down and be really intentional.

Rita: Just because AI can do something doesn’t mean it should.

Rita: The real question is what we want students to learn and how AI fits into that.

Greg: That’s a great line. Just because it can doesn’t mean it should.

Greg: So from your perspective, what are some of the biggest misconceptions teachers have about AI right now?

Rita: One of the biggest misconceptions is that AI is either entirely good or entirely bad.

Rita: In reality, it’s a tool. And like any tool, it depends on how you use it.

Rita: Another misconception is that students using AI is automatically cheating.

Rita: In some cases, it might be. But in other cases, it can actually support learning if used correctly.

Greg: So how do we draw that line? Because that’s where schools are really struggling right now.

Rita: It comes down to clarity of purpose. What is the learning goal?

Rita: If the goal is for students to practice writing, then having AI generate the text defeats the purpose.

Rita: But if the goal is to analyze or critique writing, then AI-generated text could actually be useful.

Greg: That makes sense. So it’s less about the tool and more about the task.

Rita: Exactly.

Greg: So where do you see this going in terms of assessment? Because that seems to be where a lot of schools are really stuck right now.

Rita: Assessment is probably one of the biggest pressure points when it comes to AI.

Rita: Traditional assessment models rely heavily on students producing work independently, often outside the classroom.

Rita: But now, with AI tools, it’s very difficult to know what is truly student-generated and what isn’t.

Greg: Right, so the old homework model is basically broken.

Rita: In many ways, yes. It doesn’t mean assessment is impossible, but it does mean we need to rethink how we design it.

Rita: There’s a growing shift toward more in-class assessments, more process-based work, and more opportunities for students to demonstrate their thinking in real time.

Greg: So more emphasis on how they got there, not just the final product.

Rita: Exactly. The process becomes just as important, if not more important, than the outcome.

Greg: That’s a big shift for a lot of teachers.

Rita: It is, and it can feel overwhelming. But I think it’s also an opportunity to improve how we assess learning more broadly.

Greg: What about curriculum design? Is AI changing what we should actually be teaching?

Rita: I think it has to.

Rita: If AI can generate content, summarize information, and even write essays, then we have to ask what skills are still essential for students to develop.

Rita: Critical thinking, creativity, and the ability to ask good questions become even more important.

Greg: So less focus on memorization and more on thinking.

Rita: Yes, but I would be careful not to throw out foundational knowledge entirely.

Rita: Students still need a base of knowledge in order to think critically. AI doesn’t replace that.

Greg: That’s interesting, because I think some people are going too far in that direction.

Greg: Like, well, AI can do everything, so why do students need to learn anything?

Rita: Exactly, and that’s a dangerous mindset.

Rita: AI should support thinking, not replace it.

Rita: If students rely on AI without understanding the content, they’re not actually learning.

Greg: So it comes back to intentional use again.

Rita: Always.

Greg: What are some practical ways teachers can start using AI without feeling overwhelmed?

Rita: Start small.

Rita: Use AI for things like generating lesson ideas, creating differentiated materials, or drafting feedback.

Rita: Those are areas where it can save time without compromising learning.

Greg: That’s probably where most teachers would want to start anyway.

Rita: Exactly. And as they become more comfortable, they can explore more complex uses.

Greg: And what about the ethical side of things? Because that’s another big concern.

Rita: Ethics is a huge part of this conversation.

Rita: There are questions around data privacy, bias in AI systems, and the environmental impact of these technologies.

Rita: Schools need to be aware of these issues and make informed decisions about how they use AI tools.

Greg: Environmental impact is something I don’t hear talked about as much.

Rita: It’s often overlooked, but AI systems require a significant amount of energy to run.

Rita: As educators, we should be thinking about sustainability as well as functionality.

Greg: That’s a whole other layer to this.

Rita: It is, and it’s not something with easy answers.

Greg: So for teachers listening right now who feel like they’re already behind, what would you say to them?

Rita: I would say you’re not behind.

Rita: This is evolving very quickly, and everyone is still learning.

Rita: The most important thing is to stay curious, ask questions, and be willing to experiment.

Greg: That’s reassuring, because I think a lot of people feel like they’ve already missed the boat.

Rita: Not at all. If anything, we’re still at the beginning.

Greg: Before we wrap up, I want to zoom out a little bit. When you look at the future of education, where do you think all of this is heading?

Rita: I think we’re going to see a significant shift in what we value in education.

Rita: For a long time, education has focused on knowledge acquisition and content delivery. But with AI, access to information is no longer the challenge.

Rita: The challenge is making sense of that information, evaluating it, and using it responsibly.

Greg: So the role of the teacher changes as well.

Rita: Absolutely. Teachers become more like facilitators of learning, helping students navigate complexity rather than just delivering content.

Greg: That’s a big identity shift for a lot of people.

Rita: It is, and it can be uncomfortable. But I think it’s also an opportunity to focus on the human side of education.

Rita: Things like relationships, communication, and emotional intelligence become even more important in a world where AI can handle many technical tasks.

Greg: That’s interesting, because that’s the part AI can’t replicate.

Rita: Exactly. And that’s where teachers add the most value.

Greg: So if you had to give one piece of advice to international teachers specifically, what would it be?

Rita: Stay adaptable.

Rita: International teachers are already used to change, which is a huge advantage.

Rita: But with AI, the pace of change is even faster, so being open to learning and evolving is essential.

Greg: That’s a good point. International teachers are probably better positioned for this than most.

Rita: I think so. They’re used to new systems, new cultures, new expectations.

Greg: All right, let’s wrap this up. Rita, thank you so much for coming on the show and sharing your insights.

Rita: Thank you for having me. This was a really interesting conversation.

Greg: And for everyone listening, we’ll make sure to include any relevant links and resources in the show notes.

Greg: Thanks for tuning in, and we’ll see you next time.

Greg: I’m Greg the Single Guy.

Greg: And we’ll keep the light on for you.

[End of transcript]