At Pearson, it is the people in education who are our priority; teaching staff, school leaders, students and families alike. Given our passion and focus on digital, lifelong learning, we pride ourselves on working hand in hand with educators to deliver learning through engaging, immersive and highly personalised experiences.

Working with the Institute of Ethical AI in Education (IEAIED)

Whether people love the idea or fear it, the impact of AI on learning and the world of work is evident. By supporting the work of the Institute of Ethical AI in Education (IEAIED), we are proud to be part of the conversation about how we harness AI’s potential, to amplify great teaching and use these technologies to boost every child’s ability to thrive.

The sector has already made incredible progress – not least over the past twelve months. And, with further developments on the horizon many of our educators are already preparing for it.

In our recent poll of 7,000 teachers, one in seven believe that we will see an increased use of AI educational resources and in our Pearson Global Learner Survey of 11,000 learners, 70% of learners in the UK, US and Europe believe that AI will have a positive impact on education.

Supporting digital learning

Even before Covid created a new focus on remote and hybrid learning, Pearson has supported teachers and schools with digital resources, benefitting a diverse range of pupils. Almost 4 million students globally access our digital learning services ActiveLearn Primary and ActiveLearn Secondary, and Pearson’s Online Schools provide full-time education to over 105,000 children and young people a year using our online learning platforms.

In the STEM sector, we developed the pioneering KS2 service Maths Flex, building on the foundations of White Rose Maths to shape highly interactive pathways for improved maths practice. Using established techniques and expert knowledge, and placing our user privacy as paramount, the service provides a truly personalised learning pathway for pupils, with the programme ‘flexing’ to each individual’s style.

It targets areas of strength and weakness; leads students down a learning route appropriate to their needs; automarks work to reduce teacher workload and generates easy-to-read insights on which children need stretch and intervention.

The importance of the IEAIED framework

For myself and my colleagues, the human-centric nature of the IEAIED framework is paramount and we are proud to demonstrate our commitment to efficacy and ethical products, both in creating new products and in the completion of research, including a new longitudinal study into the impact of remote teaching pedagogy on learners.

We’re dedicated to ensuring that AI-enabled pathways such as Maths Flex are just one of the many unrivalled tools in the educator’s toolkit: one that allows schools to focus on the areas that most require it; to refine what they know about the pupils they care for without discrimination or bias; and to ensure that the progress of every child is counted.

People are using technology in every aspect of their lives and they are now embracing it as part of their education. From online degrees and AI tools to smart devices, people see the future of learning made easier and more engaging with technology.

As leaders, educators, parents, carers, and as members of a global, online community, we have a shared responsibility to lay strong, ethical foundations for this tech-powered future. In partnership with the IEAIED, Pearson is ready to take learning to the next level for all learners.

By Sharon Hague, Senior Vice President for Schools and Online Learning at Pearson and a member of the Institute of Ethical AI in Education advisory group.

As featured in The Institute for Ethical AI in Education’s The Ethical Framework for AI in Education