AI Insights #5

I’ve been a bit quieter this week due to being sick, or as we say up north, “poorly bad.” Despite feeling under the weather, I still managed to finish the tail end of my Year 9 personalised learning unit, with some AI support to help me along. I even squeezed in a couple of podcast interviews for Ctrl+Alt+Teach with Aaron Patching – big thanks to Dan Fitzpatrick and Martyn Collins !

Now, let’s get into this week’s topics: the price of personalised learning, collaborating with AI to become "experts" in unfamiliar subject areas, and a journey through the uncanny AI valley.

And remember AIDUCATION'25 is a few short months away!

Let’s get to it!

The Price of Personalised Learning

78 students, 78 different projects, and, of course, 78 rubrics. Genius idea, right? Well, it seemed like a good plan at the time. Personalised learning sounds amazing—until you realise you're drowning in unique assignments.

Thankfully, AI has swooped in to save me, helping formative feedback so I am mainly marking quality work. For the final grades though? That’s still on me. Some things just need a human touch (and a strong coffee).

Oh, and I did survey the students about using AI. Curious? More on that next week, if I survive ??

AI Collaboration: Expanding Our Capabilities

This week, I had an interesting challenge: creating an assessment for a foreign language I knew nothing about. It wasn’t an MFL subject but one of the Mother Tongue languages we offer. Normally, this would have taken ages to figure out, but with AI, we managed to create something workable in just ten minutes.

It helped that the teacher, who speaks the language, was working with me. Still, there were gaps on both sides. The teacher needed help with how to assess, and I was struggling with the language itself. By using AI, we filled in each other's gaps. We started with the curriculum map, which had all the learning objectives, then refined the task. We adjusted the number of lessons required, realised we’d forgotten the rubric criteria, and added those in too. In the end, we had an assessment that the teacher felt confident about, and I could fully support.

What struck me most was how AI bridged the divide between our different areas of expertise. I know how to plan assessments, but adapting that for a language I don’t speak is a different challenge. AI allowed us to combine our strengths and create something useful.

In the end, I shared the chat with the teacher so they could continue refining. It was a great example of how AI can turn a complex, time-consuming process into something quick and collaborative.

AIDUCATION'25

On February 15th, 2025, the Cambridge School of Bucharest will be buzzing with innovation as we dive headfirst into the world of AI in education. This isn't your typical sit-and-listen conference – we're rolling up our sleeves and getting our hands dirty with real, practical AI applications you can use in your school right now!

We're thrilled to present our exceptional lineup of speakers:

• Dan Fitzpatrick – Bestselling author of "The AI Classroom" and Forbes contributor, offering fresh perspectives on educational transformation.
• Philippa Wraithmell – Award-winning educator leading workshops on digital strategy and safeguarding, helping you navigate technology integration with confidence.
• Ben Whitaker – Co-host of the Edufuturists podcast, running engaging sessions on fostering creativity and problem-solving in the classroom.
• Al Kingsley – Respected EdTech adviser and CEO of NetSupport, exploring the transformative potential of AI in education.

Joining us behind the scenes, Alex Gray will be conducting live interviews for The International Classroom Podcast, capturing the energy and insights from the day’s events. Stay tuned as he sits down with key speakers and attendees to share the latest thoughts on AI’s role in education.

Early bird tickets are available now – secure your spot to learn from these experts and prepare your school for the exciting changes ahead.

Get your tickets here

We're grateful to our partners: NetSupport , sAInaptic , Ben Whitaker (The IDEAS Guy), Inventor Club , Texthelp , Quizizz , TeachMateAI , LCL Advisory , British Romanian Chamber of Commerce , and COBIS - Council of British International Schools .

Passionate about educational innovation? We'd love to hear from companies, organisations, and individuals interested in partnering with AIDUCATION'25. Reach out to explore collaboration opportunities and help shape the future of learning.

Join us for a day of practical insights, meaningful connections, and inspiration that will energise your teaching practice!

Are We Crossing the Uncanny AI Valley in Education?

You know that feeling when you're watching a film and the CGI character looks almost human, but something's just... off? That's the uncanny valley, and it's not just a problem for filmmakers anymore. As an educator exploring the world of AI, I've been wondering: are we approaching this same phenomenon?

The Uncanny Valley: From Films to AI Education

I'll admit it - I'm a bit of a VFX nerd. I can spend hours on YouTube watching VFX artists break down CGI in films. Remember "The Polar Express"? Those characters were so close to being lifelike, but ended up being more creepy than convincing. That's the uncanny valley in action.

But here's the thing: we're not just talking about films anymore. As AI creeps into our everyday tools - from the chatbots we use for customer service to the platforms shaping how we learn - we're starting to see signs of the uncanny valley in education too. Raising questions about how students and educators interact with these tools—whether AI that almost mimics human behaviour might disrupt the learning experience rather than enhance it.

What's This Uncanny Valley, Anyway?

Let's break it down. The term "uncanny valley" was coined by Japanese roboticist Masahiro Mori back in 1970. He noticed something interesting: as robots became more human-like, people's emotional response to them became more positive - but only up to a point. When robots got too close to looking human without quite nailing it, people's reactions suddenly turned negative. This dip in likability is what we call the uncanny valley.

Imagine a graph. On one side, you've got clearly non-human things, and on the other, you've got actual humans. The line goes up as things get more human-like, then suddenly dips - that's the valley - before rising again as we reach true human likeness.

It's not just about looks, either. The uncanny valley applies to behaviour too. When something acts almost, but not quite, human, it can really freak us out.

ChatGPT's New Voice: A Step Forward?

The old voice interface of ChatGPT was like those early CGI characters - impressive, but awkward. It felt like talking to a robot trying really hard to be human.

But the new Advanced Voice Mode (AVM)? It's a whole different ballgame. The conversations are smoother, faster, and - dare I say it - more human. You can interrupt it, change direction mid-sentence, and it doesn't miss a beat. It's like ChatGPT finally learnt the art of conversation.

And get this - it can even adjust its tone based on context. We're not talking about Shakespeare-level emotion here, but it's a far cry from the monotone robot voice we're used to.

Google's AI Podcast Host

Google's not sitting on the sidelines either. Their NotebookLM tool, especially the Audio Overview feature, is taking a swing at crossing the uncanny valley. Imagine having two AI hosts break down your study materials in a podcast-style format. It's not just reading your notes back to you - it's creating a conversation around them.

But here's where it gets really exciting: soon, you won't just be a passive listener. The technology is moving towards allowing you to actively participate in these AI-driven discussions. Imagine being able to ask questions, seek clarification, or even challenge the AI hosts on their interpretations. It will be like having a study group that's available 24/7, adapting to your pace and understanding.

5 Ways AI is Inching Closer to Natural Learning

So, how exactly is AI trying to cross this uncanny valley in education? Here are five key ways I'm seeing it happen:

1. Real-Time, Dynamic Interactions: Gone are the days of waiting for AI to catch up. Tools like ChatGPT's AVM are making conversations feel, well, like actual conversations. What's more, in recent demos, ChatGPT's AVM has shown the ability to interact with vision, seeing the screen in real-time. This opens up a whole new world of possibilities for interactive learning experiences.
2. Emotionally Expressive AI: It's not quite at the level of your favourite teacher, but AI is learning to put some feeling into its voice. It's the difference between a monotone lecture and an engaging discussion.
3. Conversational Learning Formats: AI is feeding into the growing trend of podcasts. Tools like Google’s NotebookLM are not just turning lessons into conversations; they’re paving the way for you to act as an interactive "guest" in AI-fuelled, podcast-style learning experiences. Soon, we might see AI joining discussions, answering questions, and providing insights in real time.
4. Multimodal Learning and Accessibility: AI is becoming a master of adaptation, turning everything from PDFs to YouTube videos into interactive discussions. It's not about replacing teachers - it's about offering new ways to engage with material. I've been experimenting with this myself, having students upload their work as images for AI feedback. The results have been impressive - students are consistently satisfied with the detailed, tailored feedback they receive.

What's Next for AI in the Classroom?

Look, we’re not quite there yet. AI is still walking that fine line between being a helpful tool and occasionally making you think, "Wow, this feels weird." But with each advancement, we’re getting closer to AI that enhances learning without trying too hard to feel human.

In the classrooms of tomorrow, I see teachers deciding what should be AI and what shouldn't. They'll be carefully selecting when to lean into AI's strengths and when to rely on our own. It's not about replacing teachers, but about creating a partnership where technology and human expertise work together.

Are we crossing the uncanny valley in education? We're definitely on the journey. And as someone passionate about both education and technology, I can't wait to see where this path leads us. The future of learning might just be more engaging, more personalised, and yes, maybe a little less uncanny than we ever imagined.

Ta-ra, duck!

I’ll leave you to enjoy the rest of your weekend.