AI has become commonplace in schools, with 67% of secondary school students using generative AI to help them with their school work.

However, teachers are struggling to keep up with this technological development, with new research revealing that more than a third (36%) of teachers believe their students have a better understanding of AI than they do, creating a knowledge gap that could potentially be exploited.

Two-thirds (66%) of the 500 secondary school teachers surveyed by RM Technology believe they are regularly receiving work written by AI. But, 1 in 10 admit to not being able to tell the difference between AI generated work and a pupil’s own work.

The reality is, students are using AI across the curriculum in a variety of different ways – from solving maths problems (40%) to writing an English essay (41%).

In languages, every one in four of the students polled admitted to using it to translate text. In other words, it’s everywhere.

This isn’t only creating a base for student-teacher conflict, with one in six students being accused of using AI, it’s also affecting students’ wellbeing. 70% are worried hat they’ll struggle in their exams without external assistance, which includes generative AI. While most (68%) are achieving better grades since they started using it, 38% feel guilty about doing so.

The gap between teachers’ understanding of AI, and student’s understanding, only stands to widen if steps aren’t taken to train teachers to use this technology while it is in its infancy.

Half of teachers (56%) think that education professionals need proper training on AI to get a full understanding of what it can do, as a stagering 90% admit to not being comfortable using AI to carry out routine work tasks, such as creating lesson plans.

Jason Tomlinson, Managing Director at RM Technology, said: “There’s no doubt that AI is going to introduce significant beneficial reforms to the education sector. Nevertheless, it’s clear that with generative AI, a lot of work needs to be done to ensure that its use benefits student outcomes in and outside the classroom.

“At the moment, teachers lack the visibility and knowledge to understand how students are using it, and when it might be helpful. We need to rapidly develop regulatory policies, lean on the private sector’s expertise, and make teacher training schemes accessible to address them.”

When managed properly, many also see the benefits it offers their students, with over a quarter (26%) of teachers saying that it should be incorporated into the curriculum, and just 12% believing it should be banned altogether.

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Banning it, according to 49% of students, would have a negative impact on their educational experience. It would also hold them back from learning how to use new tools, according to 48%.

The education sector must address this confusion now, with 35% of teachers saying the education sector isn’t responding fast enough to emerging technology developments.

41% of teachers believe that this response should come in the form of regulation. And the majority (56%) believe that adequate teacher training is essential. Only then will the sector return balance to the classroom.