“These include algorithmic bias, which risks reinforcing existing inequities if AI systems are not intentionally designed to be inclusive; privacy issues related to the collection and use of student data and raises critical issues about the ownership.”
In a self-reported survey, 60% of young people reported using generative AI to assist them with schoolwork.
“The role of AI in education must be to enhance teaching and learning and provide assistance to knowledgeable and skilled teachers,” she said.
Use of the technology is governed by each school’s board.
But Canterbury University Associate Professor of Digital Education, Kathryn MacCallum said some schools are adopting it more than others.
“I think the biggest issue is that probably there’s not a lot of clarity from the Ministry and NZQA around how we need to engage in this, and some of that is probably a big barrier in terms of using it to its full potential.”
MacCallum said there needs to be a bigger focus on AI literacy, particularly for teachers.
“If we do not train all teachers and students on how to use AI, we risk further exclusion,” she said.
“If we don’t build our understanding of AI across all stakeholders, we will be unable to leverage it fully.”
She believes AI literacy should be something that sits across the curriculum, as it impacts all aspects of learning.
“I feel a bit better when I have been overseas talking to my counterparts in other countries that we like to compare ourselves to, [as] they’re also struggling.”
Education Minister Erica Stanford said AI's a tool which can improve learning outcomes for students, if used right.
New Zealand Herald photograph by Mark Mitchell
Stanford said the Ministry is “dipping a toe in the water” in this space.
NZQA Deputy Chief Executive of Assessment, Jann Marshall said the technology can speed up time consuming processes and enabling new assessment opportunities.
“For example, starting with May 2025 assessments for Literacy, Te Reo Matatini, Numeracy and Te Pāngarau, Automated Text Scoring will be used on all digitally submitted Literacy - Writing assessments,” she said.
“Using Automated Text Scoring allows us to significantly reduce the time it will take to mark Writing assessments, reducing the workload on markers who are practising teachers and enabling marking to be conducted outside of school holidays.”
Marshall said a large-scale trial has given them confidence in the accuracy of the tool, but for quality assurance, NZQA is also using a human check-marking process.
MacCallum said NZQA hasn’t quite captured the implications of generative AI on assessments - and students using it.
“The approach tends to be fairly risk-adverse” she said.
“For example, NZQA have talked about, you can’t use AI in external assessments, and it’s becoming very hard to control.”
“And so I think we need to expand our conception of how AI can be used - its benefits as well as its drawbacks and how we actually use it for learning.”
The Government’s previously committed to have a framework, to provide guidance, similar to what Australia has.
Stanford said work has started, but not as quickly as she would’ve liked.
“But if I’m honest, I’ve got the Ministry up to their eyeballs.”
“We’re rewriting every curriculum area right up to Year 13 because it doesn’t exist at the moment. We’re fundamentally, changing NCEA to make sure that it’s fit for purpose, we’re bringing in new assessment tools.”
“I‘m not trying to make excuses, but you can tell there’s only so many things I can load onto the Ministry.”
Jaime Cunningham is a Christchurch-based reporter with a focus on education, social issues and general news. She joined Newstalk ZB in 2023 after working as a sports reporter at the Christchurch Star.
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