The Barbados Union of Teachers (BUT) urged the Ministry of Education to outline the benefits and proper use of artificial intelligence (AI) in schools, supported by a national framework to guide educators.
BUT President Rudy Lovell made the appeal on Thursday as he spoke to Barbados TODAY at the union’s professional development workshop on AI, held at Sky Mall as part of Teachers’ Week.
The session aimed to equip teachers with the knowledge and confidence to use AI responsibly in the classroom. While the use of artificial intelligence (AI) in classrooms has the potential to revolutionise education, it also brings a number of challenges that must be carefully managed, he said.
“This workshop is designed to help educators understand, explore, and confidently navigate the rapidly evolving world of artificial intelligence and education,” Lovell said. “We are in support of AI, but we support ethical use. We think that all parameters should be designed and created to ensure that AI is used ethically.”
Lovell added that the union wanted to see formal guidelines from the ministry, just as the Caribbean Examinations Council (CXC) has done, outlining how AI should be implemented across the education system, particularly given the wide-ranging effects currently being seen from the technology at present.
Approximately 55 educators attended the workshop as part of the BUT’s efforts to prepare teachers for the digital transformation of education. (SB)
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