The German education system faces the challenge of harnessing the potential of generative artificial intelligence while recognizing its limitations. The Standing Scientific Commission has published a position paper on this topic, with the aim of contributing to the discussion on the use of AI in education. The increasing availability of AI technologies is opening up new opportunities for promoting learning and education. The goal of the position paper is to spark a discussion on the use of AI in education and to provide suggestions for research and development initiatives. By acknowledging the limitations of artificial intelligence, the education system can ensure that these technologies are used responsibly.
Key recommendations of the position paper
Testing and development phase
An important step toward the successful adoption of AI is a transitional phase during which LLMs can be systematically tested. During this transitional phase, teachers, researchers, and experts in subject-specific pedagogy, media psychology, media education, and state educational agencies should work closely together. The goal is to explore and develop the potential of LLMs for educational settings.
Teacher training
An important aspect is training teachers to prepare them for the use of LLMs. To this end, professional development programs should be developed quickly, systematically, and with scientific support.
Subject-specific training data
The use of LLMs in an educational context requires high-quality, subject-specific data. To this end, findings from teaching and learning research should be adapted to the development of specific LLMs for the educational context.
Use of LLM
The use of LLMs should be adapted to the respective educational stages: In elementary school and at the beginning of middle school, it seems appropriate to largely refrain from using LLMs. By the end of middle school, there should be an increasing use of LLM tools for creating and revising texts.
A Shift in the Exam Culture
In process-oriented assessment formats, the ability to work effectively with generative AI should be practiced and assessed as a learning objective. AI-based tools can support teachers, but the responsibility for assessment must remain in human hands.
Establishing the necessary framework
Government agencies should ensure that all students and teachers in educational institutions have access (at low cost or free of charge) to AI systems. In addition to current LLM approaches, the further development and use of AI-based approaches for individualized support should also be systematically promoted.
Integration of LLMs into learning platforms
Education policy must therefore integrate LLMs into appropriate learning platforms or develop open-source alternatives whose functionalities and biases are known and can be freely researched.
About the Standing Scientific Commission (SWK)
The Standing Scientific Commission (SWK) is an independent advisory body that advises the federal states on the formulation of education policy. The SWK is composed of 16 highly qualified scholars from various disciplines. This broad range of experts enables the commission to develop a comprehensive perspective on education policy issues. The goal is to provide evidence-based recommendations for addressing current challenges in education policy.
This text was generated using AI and edited by a human editor.
