With this in mind, not-for-profit education technology company Education Services Australia (ESA) has joined forces with Microsoft to create two free training modules to assist educators in using GenAI for their own benefit, but also to tailor learning experiences to improve accessibility and engagement for students.

Developed by subject matter experts, in consultation with school administrators and teachers, reviewed by leaders within the teaching community, and approved by the federal Department of Education, the online training solution aligns with the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers and the Australian Government’s Framework for Generative AI in Schools.

“The modules have been developed for all educators, and they’re absolutely applicable to anyone from K through to 12,” Rebecca Weber, a digital education expert from the South Australia Department for Education, tells EducationHQ.

Weber, who’s been heavily involved in testing the modules, says one of the really important considerations around technology such as generative AI and its implications for education, is equity and “making sure that we really support equity for all”.

“The fact that these modules are made free and available to all educators across the nation is a really important piece for securing digital excellence and making sure that we have shared understandings across the nation.

“It’s an opportunity for all of our educators to have foundational knowledge, which is critical if they’re going to really understand how to use this technology safely and responsibly,” Weber says.

The modules really address some of the concerns educators have that might be holding them back from actually being able to adopt this technology in ethical, responsible and meaningful ways, digital expert Rebecca Weber, pictured above, says.

While states and territories have for some time offered their own versions of AI training initiatives, prior to this there has been no national training program aligned to the Australian standards for teachers’ professional development.

Participants will receive a certificate for each module completed and the training will contribute to their professional development requirements.

The first module, AI Readiness: Preparing teachers for safe and effective use of GenAI explains how GenAI tools work and explores their limitations. It also details how to evaluate content created using these new technologies and how to check for bias, inaccuracies and misinformation.

The second, AI Implementation: Strategies for guiding students in safe and effective use of GenAI, has been developed more specifically for those teaching students aged 13 and above, and builds on the foundations of module one.

Teachers will learn how to guide their students through various classroom activities with GenAI support, emphasising practical, age-appropriate classroom implementation.

“What’s great about the modules is you can go at your own pace,” Weber says.

“So, for example, if you’re at a school, you can engage with the module as an entire site or focus on specific aspects piece by piece. Along the way, you can incorporate reflection and dialogue.

“Additionally, you might choose to reinforce some of the concepts at home, in your own time, allowing you to revisit and explore the ideas further.”

Live online training sessions will also complement the modules and provide a welcome forum to explore the content further and ask questions.

“The live Q&A is a fantastic opportunity for educators to actually have a dialogue around the content of the modules, and I think that’s really important, because our teachers are inherently lifelong learners, and they want to engage and learn.

“It’s part of our nature and to have a platform to be able to speak with others, learn together, and have that cross-pollination of use cases and to get some answers to some of our questions and concerns is really powerful.”

Weber says in her experience, educators are wanting to engage with AI and enthusiasm is broadly growing.

“People want to learn more, they want to explore, and I think that those who have some hesitancy, it really comes back to maybe some misconceptions around generative AI.

“It’s why I think these modules are really important to address some of the concerns our educators have that might be holding them back from actually being able to adopt this technology in ethical, responsible and meaningful ways that can really allow them to innovate in their practice and derive the benefits from technology.”

Naturally, in terms of AI use, there are going to be those teachers that are using AI extensively, in highly innovative ways and those that might just want to dip their toes in the water, sit back and wait and see how others are using it.

“I find that educators get inspired when they can see the practical use cases in the classroom next door, that’s when you see people going, ‘oh, OK, I can see myself in this’, and they start to think about what that might mean to them in their own classrooms and their own practice.”

Microsoft ANZ Education Director Adam Pollington says using the knowledge gained from these modules, teachers can be significantly more confident in using GenAI for their own benefit, as well as in tailoring learning experiences to improve accessibility and engagement for students.

“We know from examples in Australia that teachers can save an average of 9.3 hours per week through GenAI use, and that additional time can be repurposed to enhance student outcomes.

“Teachers play a critical role in driving responsible student GenAI use, so it is imperative that they lead the way, and this training will provide the opportunity to do so.”

Click here to access the first module: ‘AI Readiness: Preparing teachers for safe and effective use of GenAI’.

The second module, ‘AI Implementation: Strategies for guiding students in safe and effective use of GenAI’, will be available later this month.