Yorkshire School Tests AI to Speed Up and Boost Exam Marking Fun

Wensleydale School, located in the Yorkshire Dales, is experimenting with artificial intelligence to mark students' mock exams. This school is one of the first in northern England to try out this technology. The headteacher, Julia Polley, explained that using AI can give students more detailed and faster feedback than teachers might be able to provide on their own. She also pointed out that AI does not know the students personally, so it cannot be biased. However, for now, teachers are still marking the exams alongside the AI to make sure the results are accurate and fair.

The school learned about a company that was testing AI marking for subjects like English, history, geography, and business. These subjects often have long written answers, which can be hard for teachers to mark consistently. The teachers at Wensleydale School marked the papers themselves as well as using the AI, so they could compare the results. They wanted to see if the AI made any mistakes or misunderstood any answers. The headteacher said she was impressed by how detailed the AI's feedback was. It was as good as what teachers could do, but much faster.

Using AI to mark exams is not free. It costs 45 pence to mark one long answer. The school decided to spend 600 pounds to buy 1,250 credits for marking English and history mock exams. Teachers had to scan and upload each exam question, which was a bit difficult at first. Some teachers were worried that people might think they were trying to avoid their work, but that was not true. The teachers still wanted to mark the papers themselves to see how their students were doing. The headteacher said that AI is just a tool to help teachers and make sure the marks are fair.

The school hopes to use AI for more tests in the future, like end-of-topic tests and practice exam questions. Other schools might start using AI too. Dr Theocharis Kyriacou, a professor at York St John University, said that the government only made rules about using AI in schools last year. Teachers can use AI, but they must check that the results are correct. The professor said that AI can help teachers save time and give students feedback faster. But he also said that teachers should not stop marking papers themselves. Some students and parents do not trust AI to mark exams.

The National Association of Head Teachers supports trying AI in schools. Sarah Hannafin, who works there, said that AI can help teachers spend less time on paperwork and more time teaching. She said it is important for everyone to know when and how AI is used. Schools should be open about using AI and let people ask questions. This way, everyone can understand how AI helps in schools.

Overall, the use of AI in marking exams is still new, and schools are just starting to try it out. There are benefits, like faster and more detailed feedback, but there are also challenges, like cost and making sure the results are fair. As more schools try AI, they will learn more about how it can help teachers and students.