Great dynamics

AI has long since arrived in the classroom

Pupils and teachers are already using AI such as ChatGPT.(Bild: irissca - stock.adobe.com)

Developments at local schools are particularly dynamic. Computers, cell phones, social media and artificial intelligence (AI) are challenging pupils and teachers alike. Upper Austria relies on close cooperation between school authorities, experts and the police.

"The digital world doesn't stand still, new technological developments are presented to us almost daily. Of course, this means that we too must not stand still when it comes to our willingness to provide training and further education, but that we must remain agile, flexible and open to everything new that is yet to come in the digital world," emphasizes Education Officer and Deputy Governor Christine Haberlander.

This is why Upper Austria has been holding networking meetings for ten years now, in which the province of Upper Austria, the Education Directorate, the Education Group, school psychologists, the Institute for Addiction Prevention (pro mente OÖ) and numerous experts take part. The next meeting will take place next Friday in Linz.

New school subject
Even though the new compulsory subject "Digital Basic Education" has been introduced at secondary schools and AHS lower secondary schools since the 2022/23 school year, the dynamic nature of the subject has created ever new challenges. The best example of this is artificial intelligence, such as ChatGPT.

"It arrived in schools a long time ago," Education Director Alfred Klampfer is certain. There is already a lot of experimentation going on, texts are being analyzed and fake news is being filtered out. Nevertheless, AI and its impact on the school system remains one of the biggest challenges.

Increasing skills
But Christine Haberlander (and probably not just her) is certain of one thing: "Digitalization is here to stay." And Education Director Alfred Kampfer also sees a challenge for teachers: "The world of our children and young people has long been digital. In order to understand it better and develop teaching in a meaningful way, teachers need to constantly expand their technological expertise."