Latest news with #teachers
Daily Mail
an hour ago
- Science
- Daily Mail
Jannik Sinner's three-month drugs ban from tennis felt all too convenient, too light on the fading principle of strict liability... excuse those of us rooting for Carlos Alcaraz at Wimbledon, writes RIATH AL-SAMARRAI
This is a true story - a dog once ate my homework. Well, he clawed a couple of pages into a state of disrepair, but my geography teacher didn't quite buy that a border collie was solely responsible for late submission. Nor did a different teacher when the same pet peed on my sister's English essay. I miss that dog, a good boy mostly, but I also wonder what those teachers might have brought to the arbitration of doping disputes in elite sport.
CTV News
8 hours ago
- General
- CTV News
Two Mississauga teachers retire after more than 30 years at the same school
Toronto Watch Two Mississauga teachers are retiring after more than 30 years at the same school. CTV's Beth Macdonell has more on the sendoff.
South China Morning Post
14 hours ago
- South China Morning Post
Guidelines overdue on Hong Kong child abuse law
It is almost a year since the passage of a law requiring professionals working with children to report suspected cases of abuse. It is another six months of preparation before it comes into effect – time that must be put to good use to promote awareness and provide guidelines for professionals and institutions. Figures from the Social Welfare Department on child physical and sexual abuse in 2024 are a reminder of that. They show that the number of child sexual abuse cases is not only creeping up but has nearly doubled over the past decade to more than 500 in 2024. More than one in five of the sexual abusers last year was 16 years of age or below. This has prompted lawmakers to demand urgent attention from the government, and for an early release of guidelines on the implementation of a mandatory reporting mechanism under a law that criminalises failure to act. The latter suggestion is sensible. The law places a heavy responsibility on more than 100,000 professionals, including teachers, doctors, social workers, midwives and childcare staff. It was subject to much debate and amendments to safeguard them from unfair blame. The 1,504 child abuse cases recorded last year were up from 1,457 in 2023 and 1,439 in 2022. They also included 595 cases of physical abuse, 328 of neglect, 43 reports of multiple abuse and another 16 involving psychological abuse. More than 910 or 60.5 per cent of the victims were girls, half of whom suffered sexual abuse, while 58.1 per cent of male victims suffered physical harm. Among child abuse cases, nearly 60 per cent of all perpetrators were parents.
Forbes
20 hours ago
- Forbes
The AI Education Gap: Why Schools Need Policies Now
Schools need clearer AI policies that support teachers and students. American educators have rapidly adopted AI, but a critical gap has emerged: most schools aren't teaching students how to use these powerful AI tools responsibly. Sixty percent of teachers now report using AI in their lessons, yet a stark disconnect exists between AI adoption and implementation. Survey data from the RAND American Educator Panels indicate that only 25% of teachers have integrated AI into their instruction, while 35% stated that their school has established guidelines for AI use, and 27% reported that their school has no AI rules in place. This disparity reveals a concerning pattern across U.S. K-12 education: AI tools like ChatGPT are proliferating in classrooms without the necessary guardrails or educational frameworks to maximize their potential. Teachers Adopt AI, Schools Lag Behind The numbers tell a story of individual innovation outpacing institutional planning. While three in five teachers experiment with AI tools, only one in four has moved beyond casual use to meaningful classroom integration. Teachers describe using AI for lesson planning, generating discussion prompts, and creating differentiated materials. Some craft personalized math problems for students interested in sports statistics or business scenarios. Others use AI to translate materials for English language learners or generate reading comprehension questions at varying difficulty levels. However, this experimentation often occurs in isolation. Without formal training or institutional support, educators navigate AI implementation through trial and error. AI Policy Vacuum Creates Wild West Environment More than eight in ten schools operate without clear guidelines on when, how, or whether to use AI in educational settings. This approach leaves teachers uncertain about boundaries: The absence of guidance creates inconsistent experiences for students. AI use might be encouraged in one classroom, prohibited in another, and ignored entirely in a third—all within the same building. Missing the AI Educational Opportunity The real challenge isn't AI adoption—it's educating about AI. Schools that rush to implement tools without teaching responsible use miss a fundamental opportunity to prepare students for a technology-integrated future. Students require instruction on prompt engineering, understanding AI limitations, recognizing bias in AI-generated outputs, and maintaining academic integrity when utilizing AI assistance. These skills represent essential digital literacy for the next generation. Some forward-thinking educators have begun incorporating AI literacy into their curricula. Students learn to critically evaluate AI-generated content, understand when human expertise remains irreplaceable, and develop strategies for ethical collaboration with AI. The AI Integration Challenge Proper integration requires rethinking lesson design, assessment strategies, and learning objectives. It requires understanding how AI can enhance, rather than replace, critical thinking, creativity, and human connection in the educational process. Teachers deserve clear direction and dedicated time to master these tools effectively. Professional development cannot be a one-time workshop or brief orientation. Instead, educators deserve ongoing training that recognizes the rapidly advancing capabilities of AI. This includes practical sessions on tool selection, classroom management with AI present, and designing assignments that leverage AI strengths while developing student capabilities. Equally important is teaching students to develop discernment and ethical practices regarding the use of AI. Students must learn to critically evaluate AI-generated content, understanding when outputs may contain errors, bias, or inappropriate information. They need instruction on academic integrity boundaries—when AI assistance enhances learning versus when it undermines skill development. Successful AI integration also requires teaching students to ask better questions. The quality of AI responses depends heavily on prompt engineering skills. Students who learn to craft thoughtful, specific prompts develop stronger analytical thinking than those who rely on basic queries. Ethical considerations extend beyond cheating prevention. Students should understand AI's limitations, recognize when human expertise remains essential, and develop strategies for maintaining their own creative and critical thinking abilities while using AI as a collaborative tool. Without this foundation of discernment and ethics, AI tools risk becoming crutches rather than enhancement tools that prepare students for responsible AI use throughout their academic and professional careers. Building A Responsible AI Culture Schools that have successfully integrated AI share common characteristics: clear policies, comprehensive teacher training, and explicit instruction on responsible use. These institutions treat AI as they would any powerful educational tool—with intentionality, preparation, and ongoing evaluation. They establish guidelines that protect academic integrity while encouraging innovation. At WIT (Whatever It Takes), the educational organization I founded in 2009, we recognized early that AI adoption required proactive policy development and usage practices. This led us to create WITY, a platform that teaches AI usage with transparency and accountability. Our experience revealed how schools can effectively integrate AI tools while maintaining educational integrity. The AI Path Forward Schools can either harness AI's educational potential through thoughtful implementation or allow haphazard adoption, which can undermine learning outcomes. Three priorities emerge for educational leaders: Develop comprehensive AI policies that provide clear guidance for educators and students while remaining flexible enough to evolve with rapidly changing technology. Invest in educator training that moves beyond basic tool familiarity to pedagogical integration and ethical considerations. Develop AI literacy curricula that educate students to utilize these tools effectively, responsibly, and with a comprehensive understanding of their capabilities and limitations. The 60% adoption rate demonstrates educators' recognition of AI's potential. Now, schools must catch up with policies, training, and instruction that match this technological enthusiasm with educational wisdom. Students deserve more than exposure to AI tools—they need education about how to wield them thoughtfully. The future workplace will demand these AI skills. Schools that act now to build responsible AI integration will prepare students for success. Those that don't risk leaving graduates behind in an increasingly AI-integrated world. The AI technology has arrived in classrooms. The question now is whether schools will rise to meet the educational moment.
News24
a day ago
- News24
Japan minister ‘really angry' as teachers arrested for sharing upskirt photos
Teachers in Japan allegedly shared so-called upskirt images of schoolgirls. Two teachers were arrested. The education minister expressed outrage. Japan's education minister reacted angrily Friday after the arrests of two teachers who allegedly shared photos showing girls' underwear in a group chat that reportedly included nearly 10 elementary and junior high school teachers. The case has shocked the country, which will next year launch its first national background check system for sex offences for those seeking to work with children. If convicted, the teachers - a 42-year-old who lives in central Japan, and a 37-year-old south of Tokyo - will face up to three years in prison or a fine of up to ¥3 million ($21 000), a police spokesperson said. The two men were arrested separately this week for taking photos in which girls' underwear was visible and sending them to the group chat, he told AFP. READ | Japan subway attacker who stabbed man 'with the intent to kill' arrested The men allegedly knew the girls 'were under 13', the spokesperson said. Police sources said they believed the group, managed by the 42-year-old teacher, had 'nearly 10' teacher members including the two arrested, according to broadcaster NHK. Around 70 photos and videos were shared in the group including those apparently taken at school or during extracurricular activities, with some showing girls changing clothes, NHK and other media outlets said. 'I feel really angry. This can never be tolerated,' education minister Toshiko Abe told reporters on Friday. The ministry plans to hold an online meeting with the heads of local education boards to prevent similar incidents. The primary school in the central city of Nagoya where one of the teachers was working held a meeting with more than 270 anxious parents on Thursday evening, NHK said. 'It's scary and creepy,' a mother in her 30s told the broadcaster. 'I'd like to know whether my child was one of the victims.' The school has suspended physical education classes for the time being, NHK said. Nagoya mayor Ichiro Hirosawa on Thursday called the alleged crimes 'unthinkable'. 'They made a national group and were sharing the images... I feel very sorry, and at the same time I'm filled with anger,' he said. Japan is preparing to launch its own version of Britain's Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) next year to protect children from sexual assault. The DBS system will require those seeking jobs that involve working with children to undergo background checks for historical sex offences.
