Expert warns Australian students are falling behind Chinese primary-schoolers in race towards AI supremacy
As millions of Chinese primary-schoolers learn to use AI in the classroom, a tech expert warns Australian students are losing the race to master the game-changing technology.
Australian students are losing the race to master AI as millions of Chinese primary school students are taught to “embrace” the technology.
Experts warn Australian policymakers lack a national AI direction and strategy, with a recent survey of 3000 Australian high school students in August finding 69 per cent wanted more AI training in schools.
In June, education ministers endorsed the Australian Framework for Generative AI in Schools which set guidelines for responsible use, but strategy is still down to each states and territory.
UNSW computer sciences director of studies Dr Jake Renzella said Australia’s current approach was “off to a rocky start” despite some recent innovations in Queensland, New South Wales and South Australia.
“Still, there is a lack of national AI direction and strategy, and no formalised AI literacy policy,” Dr Renzella said.
“The tools that are being released are all chatbot-like systems to introduce efficiencies for teachers and help students with inquiry, but there is a distinct lack of focus on teaching kids how to build AI, and AI literacy.”
Dr Renzella said this contrasted with China’s approach, which has mandated AI education in the classroom for millions of students from primary to high school.
“Australia is quite behind China in terms of adoption,” Dr Renzella said.
“In China, students are not just embracing a range of AI tools, mandatory curriculum is getting students hands-on with AI, including building simple models even in primary school to facilitate AI literacy.
“Availability of AI tools in classrooms, where appropriate, is a good start – but not enough.
“We need to teach kids how and why these systems work, so they can learn transferable literacy and skills that will help them adapt to the rapidly changing AI landscape.”
Murdoch University associate professor of education Dr Natasha Rappa cautioned there was no “right or wrong approach to AI integration” in schools.
“Australia does not usually implement comprehensive initiatives at the scale we see in China,” Dr Rappa said.
“There isn’t a systematic plan to teach students AI skills yet, but we might see a more concrete plan in the future.
“There are ground-up efforts with pockets of innovation and transformative practices being implemented by individual teachers and some schools.”
Dr Rappa suggested the difference between Australian teachers and students and their Chinese peers meant a “top-down” approach may not work in Australia’s context.
“We don’t want our students to just learn from AI – we want them to learn with AI,” she said.
“This is consistent among all education technology.
“We want to advocate the use of technology as a tool and partner, not something we learn from.”
Teachers – are you implementing AI in your classroom? Share how by emailing education@news.com.au
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Originally published as Expert warns Australian students are falling behind Chinese primary-schoolers in race towards AI supremacy
