Artificial intelligence has been thrown around a lot in the K12 space and media headlines, but does the hype match reality? Perhaps fewer students are adopting AI than we thought.
That’s certainly the case for high school students, according to a new survey from edtech company Quizlet. An impressive 82% of college students say they’ve used AI tools compared to just 58% of high school students.
When it comes to our educators, they’ve reported encouraging rates of experimentation at both education levels. Two-thirds of high school and college teachers say they’ve used AI for education purposes.
Regarding AI guidelines, college students are also more likely to report that their institutions have implemented a code of conduct surrounding AI technology (41%) compared to high school students (18%).
“College students are adopting AI at a rapid pace, illustrating that this technology isn’t a trend but rather a profound shift in how they learn and engage with curriculum,” Senior Director of Product at Quizlet Meghann Lomas said in a statement. “Students want to use AI responsibly, and guidance from educators and administrators, along with the edtech companies building these solutions, can help them.”
AI adoption: How’s it being used?
AI offers a lot in terms of learning potential. In this case, students are most commonly using it for research (46%), followed by summarizing or synthesizing information (38%) and generating study guides or materials (31%). Furthermore, students who study three hours or more per night during the school year are more likely to say AI tools increased efficiency (62%), learning support (60%), and creativity and critical thinking (53%).
However, AI’s potential varies depending on how it’s being used. Forty-eight percent of high school students say they’re unsure whether they’ll use AI to prepare for college applications or standardized tests. Only 7% of students have done so already.
Overall, guidance seems to be the primary contributor to AI adoption and experimentation. High school teachers are more likely to be approached with questions about how their students can use AI for school work (67%) compared to college professors (52%). If you’re looking for ways other school districts are leading the charge in AI, read some of our coverage below:
- What do effective AI guidelines look like? Check out this new approach
- Want to teach AI literacy? Here are 5 new strategies
- Selecting the right AI tools for learners: 5 key considerations
