NASUWT’s principles for the ethical development and application of artificial intelligence and digital technologies in education

Introduction
NASUWT principles

  1. A public good and human right
  2. Promoting human expertise, human review and human interaction
  3. Data rights, security and protection
  4. Protecting teachers’ jobs and securing workers’ rights
  5. Promoting equality, diversity and inclusion and avoiding discrimination, bias and exclusion
  6. A strategic and participatory approach to the use of AI and digital technology

Some key messages
Safe use of artificial intelligence in education webinar
Further information

Introduction

NASUWT’s principles are intended to help teachers and leaders and NASUWT Representatives make informed judgements about the introduction and use of AI and digital technology in schools and education settings.

They are also intended to support NASUWT representatives to play an active role in supporting and challenging the introduction and use of AI and digital technologies in education.

NASUWT principles

A public good and a human right

  1. Education is a public good and a human right. AI adn digital technologies must support education goals and the values of a democratic society.

This should mean that:

  1. AI and digital technologies contribute to providing high-quality, inclusive and equitable education for all.

  2. AI and digital technologies to support learning are designed with teachers and other stakeholders and are designed with pedagogical purpose based on educational research.

  3. AI and digital technologies are designed, developed, procured and implemented in ways that respect democratic values such as fairness, justice, transparency, accountability and sustainability.

  4. AI and digital technologies are deployed in ways that support the recruitment, development and retention of a high-quality teaching workforce.

  5. Decisions about whether, when and how AI and digital technologies are used are based on education goals and objectives.

  6. Companies providing the AI or digital technology are vetted to ensure that they and their product or service supports these values, goals and objectives.

  7. Teachers and leaders are supported to make informed decisions about the ethical use of AI and digital technologies.

Promoting human expertise, human review and human interaction

  1. AI and digital technologies are designed, developed and implemented in ways that promote human expertise, human review and human interaction

This should mean that:

  1. AI and digital technologies empower the teacher to exercise their professional autonomy and agency.

  2. The class teacher makes professional judgements about teaching and learning. AI and digital technologies do not replace the professional judgement of the teacher.

  3. AI and digital technologies support the human relationship between the teacher and learner. AI and digital technologies do not replace direct human interaction between the teacher and learner.

  4. Decisions about the design, development, procurement, implementation, review and continued use of AI and digital technologies are negotiated and agreed with NASUWT and recognised workforce unions by employers.

  5. Those affected by the AI or digital technology are consulted and their views and needs inform decisions about whether, when and how the AI or digital technology is used.

  6. Teachers are empowered to make informed decisions about whether, when and how AI and digital technologies are used, including through training, professional development and learning, and access to ongoing support.

Data rights, security and protection

  1. Data safety, security, privacy and protections are ensured

This should mean that:

  1. AI and digital technologies are designed, developed, procured and implemented in ways that uphold rights to data privacy, data protection, intellectual property, and safety.

  2. Data protection and privacy impact assessments are undertaken in order to identify and mitigate risks.

  3. Workplace AI Risk Assessments (WAIRA) are conducted before an AI-enabled tool or digital technology is purchased or leased and action is taken to mitigate risks.

  4. Data is kept safe and secure. It is clear what happens to the personal data of learners, staff and others in the school community, including where the data is stored. The data must not be sold and third parties should not have access to the data. The data must not be used for purposes other than those which have been agreed.

  5. Companies providing a data management tool or service comply with these rights and protections. This includes demonstrating how they comply with the rights and protections.

Protecting teachers’ jobs and securing workers’ rights

  1. AI and digital technologies are designed, developed, procured and implemented in ways that protect teachers’ jobs and secure workers’ rights

This should mean that:

  1. AI and digital technologies do not replace or displace teachers, including supply teachers.

  2. AI and digital technologies augment teacher agency and do not remove core professional responsibilities from the role of the teacher.

  3. Teachers and leaders have a work-life balance, including the right to switch off. Action is taken to prevent teachers and leaders feeling under pressure to work outside of hours or to take on additional tasks.

  4. Workload impact assessments are undertaken to identify and mitigate workload risks. Where AI and digital technology create new tasks, old tasks are removed. Pre-existing generators of workload must also be addressed.

  5. AI and digital technologies are not used for high-stakes punitive purposes, such as monitoring or judging a teacher’s practice. If AI or digital technology enables monitoring of a teacher’s practice, this information is controlled by the teacher and is only used for self-reflection and personal development purposes.

  6. Teachers and leaders have access to training, development and support to enable them to make effective use of AI and digital technologies.

Promoting equality, diversity and inclusion and avoiding discrimination, bias and exclusion

  1. AI and digital technologies support actions to promote equality, diversity and inclusion and risks of bias, discrimination and exclusion are identified and removed

This should mean that:

  1. Equality impact assessments, equality monitoring, reviews and evaluations are undertaken to identify issues and to ensure effective equality practice. Action is taken to remove the risks of bias, discrimination and exclusion.

  2. AI and digital technologies support personalisation (rather than standardising education) and are selected as part of an inclusive approach that recognises the diverse backgrounds and needs of learners.

  3. AI and digital technologies are implemented in ways that reduce and remove inequities. This includes addressing inequities relating to resources and infrastructure.

  4. Action is taken to develop the digital literacy of staff and learners so that they can make ethically informed decisions about AI and digital technologies. This includes helping them to understand the risks of bias and discrimination arising from algorithms and datasets.

  5. Staff, learners and members of the wider community are consulted about the use and impact of AI and digital technologies and their views, needs and concerns shape decisions about the AI or digital technology. This includes ensuring that those who share a protected characteristic and those from under-represented groups are involved and that their views, needs and concerns influence decisions.

A strategic and participatory approach to the use of AI and digital technology

  1. There is a strategic approach to the adoption and use of AI and digital technologies and a participatory approach to their governance

This should mean that:

  1. Governance of AI and digital technologies is based on the principles of inform, consult, collaborate and empower.

  2. There is an AI strategy, which may be part of a digital strategy, and a senior manager is responsible for the strategy. The strategy is accompanied by policies and procedures that address rights and responsibilities of the employer, staff, learners and the wider school community.

    • Policies make it clear whether, when and how AI and digital technologies should be used and the steps taken to prevent and address misuse.

  3. AI and digital technologies are trialled and reviewed before decisions are made to purchase or lease them. The views of those who would be using or impacted by the AI or digital technology feed into decisions about whether to purchase or lease the AI tool or technology and any controls or limitations relating to its use.

    • The terms for using the AI or digital technology are negotiated and agreed with workforce unions. This includes setting out limits on its use, the arrangements for monitoring, reviewing its use, and ceasing use.

  4. School managers are responsible and accountable for the ethical use and effective implementation of AI and digital technology. They are transparent about when and how AI and digital technology are being used and they explain this to staff, learners and the wider school community in ways that can be understood.

  5. Teachers and other users of AI and digital technology receive training and support so that they can provide informed judgements about whether to acquire an AI product or digital technology and feedback about the appropriateness and effectiveness of AI tools and digital technology.

  6. Companies are vetted before decisions are made to purchase or lease their product or service and they are held accountable for their products or the services they manage.

    • The purchase or procurement process is transparent and includes examination of company practices, including addressing points about where data is stored, how it is kept safe and secure, whether user data is sold, whether user data is used to train AI models, and the steps taken to avoid bias and discrimination.

    • Contracts include explicit clauses relating to ethical development and use, including clauses about privacy, equality and inclusion, and the storage and use of data.

Some key messages

Decisions about whether it is appropriate to use AI-enabled technologies will depend on the purposes to which they are being put. In other words, it is necessary to consider the context.

AI-enabled technologies present both opportunities and risks so it is vital to establish both the intended purposes and potential purposes.

  • Who is making the decisions?

  • Who has influence?

  • Whose interests are being served?

AI-enabled technologies have implications for teachers’ jobs and working conditions. They could help to address workload burdens and support planning and preparation, but they could also displace and de-professionalise the teacher or even replace teachers. There are very significant issues about access to training and support, including time to access that training and support.

Safe use of atificial intelligence in education webinar

Please log in using the 'Login' menu item at the top of the page to see the recording of our webinar focused on the safe use of AI in education.

If you’ve never logged in before or you’ve forgotten your password, you can use the Forgotten Password facility.

If you’re not already a member, why not join us?

Further information

NASUWT advice and guidance
Data protection and privacy
Remote and hybrid education
TUC

Webpage providing TUC advice and guidance on AI along with links to TUC work on AI. This includes toolkits, reports and practical advice and guidance for union representatives on AI in the workplace and securing workers’ rights.

Websites containing resources, advice and support on AI in education

  • Using AI in Education Settings: support materials. These training materials have been commissioned by the Department for Education (DfE) and developed by the Chartered College of Teaching and the Chiltern Learning Trust. They include short training modules for teachers and leaders on the use of AI in schools. While the materials are designed for teachers and leaders in England, they will also be useful to teachers and leaders in other parts of the UK.

  • The Chartered College of Teaching has produced a special edition of Impact to accompany the training materials. This includes articles, research and case studies about the effective use of AI in schools.

  • Educate Ventures Research provides a wide range of resources, including a newsletter, The Skinny, to support teachers and leaders to make informed decisions about the use of AI in schools.

  • AI in education provides resources, practical guidance and information about the use of AI in education settings.

  • GenEd AI is a partnership between Education Scotland and Daydream Believers and provides links to resources, advice, events and research about the use of AI in education.

  • Department for Education (DfE) policy paper, Generative AI in education: This applies to England but includes information that is relevant across the UK. It provides an overview of Government advice on the use of GenAI in education and links to advice and resources that schools should use when using GenAI. It also provides links to advice on safety standards, data protection and intellectual property.

  • Joint Council for Qualifications (JCQ) for guidance on the use of AI in assessments. This applies across the UK.

  • Wales hwb for advice about Generative AI in education and education digital standards more generally.

 


Anonymous feedback

If you require a response from us, please DO NOT use this form. Please use our Contact Us page instead.

In our continued efforts to improve the website, we evaluate all the feedback you leave here because your insight is invaluable to us, but all your comments are processed anonymously and we are unable to respond to them directly.