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Metro
21 hours ago
- Metro
Is AI raising a generation of ‘tech-reliant empty heads'?
It began with snide looks and remarks and ended up in full-on bullying with 11-year-old Sophie* coming home from school one day in tears. When her mum asked what was wrong, she discovered that Sophie's friends had turned their backs on her, leaving the little girl feeling confused, bereft and isolated. 'I noticed the way they were talking to her on the weekend; just being cruel and asking her pointed questions about what she was wearing and why,' Sophie's mum, Ella*, tells Metro 'When she went back to school on the Monday, one girl had got the whole group to stop talking to her. Sophie went to sit down on the table at lunch, and they all got up and moved. 'These are girls she'd grown up with. Later in the playground, they told her: 'Sorry, we're not allowed to play with you' and walked off.' While Ella and her husband did their best to support their daughter, Sophie was growing increasingly anxious and eventually turned to an unlikely source for advice. 'Sophie had seen me use ChatGPT to help write emails, so she started to have a go. Using my phone, she asked how to deal with bullying, how to get more friends, and how to make people like her. 'At first I was a bit alarmed because you can ask it anything and it will give you answers. I was worried about what she wanted to know. But it turned out Sophie found it a real comfort,' remembers Ella. 'She told me she could talk to it and it spoke back to her like a real human. She would explain what was going on and it would say things like: 'I hope you're okay Sophie', and 'this is horrible to hear.' I had to explain to her that it's not real, that it has been taught to seem empathetic.' Ella admits she was surprised that ChatGPT could prove a useful tool and was just grateful that her daughter had found an outlet for her anxiety. And while adults may be equally impressed and daunted by the unstoppable march of artificial intelligence, one in five under-12s are already using it at least once a month, according to the Alan Turing Institute. It means an increasing number of primary-age children are growing reliant on AI for everything, from entertainment tp emotional support. However, although many parents like Ella might feel it's a help rather than a hindrance, a new report, Me, Myself and AI, from Internet Matters, has discovered that children are often being fed inaccurate information, inappropriate content and even forming complicated relationships with chatbots. There's also fears over the long-term impact it will have on children's education with kids – and parents – using it to help with homework. One teacher from Hertfordshire, who has been asked to remain nameless, had to throw out one child's work as it had clearly been lifted straight from Chat GPT. 'It was a 500-word creative writing task and a few hadn't been written by the children. One of them I could just tell – from knowing the child's writing in class – it was obvious. They'd gone into chat and submitted it online via Google Classroom. 'It was a real shame. I think it can be useful but children need to be taught how to use it, so it's a source of inspiration, rather than providing a whole piece of writing.' Fellow educator Karen Simpson is also concerned that her pupils have admitted using AI for help with homework, creative writing, project research and language and spelling. The primary and secondary tutor of more than 20 years, tells Metro: 'I have experienced children asking AI tools to complete maths problems or write stories for them rather than attempting it themselves. They are using it to generate ideas for stories or even full pieces of writing, which means they miss out on practising sentence structure, vocabulary and spelling. And they use it to check or rewrite their work, which can prevent them from learning how to edit or improve their writing independently. 'Children don't experience the process of making mistakes, thinking critically and building resilience,' adds Karen, from Invervness. 'These skills are essential at primary level. AI definitely has its place when used as a support tool for older learners but for younger children, it risks undermining the very skills they need for future success.' Mark Knoop's son, Fred, uses ChatGPT for every day tasks and admits he's been impressed by what he's seen. As a software engineer and the founder of EdTech start up Flashily, which helps children learn to read, it's unsurprising he might be more open to the idea, but Mark firmly believes that artificial intelligence can open doors for young people when used with adult guidance. He explains that after giving his son, then seven, his tablet to occupy him while he was at the barbers, the schoolboy used ChatGPT to code a video game. 'Fred has always been into computers and gaming, but with things like Roblox and Minecraft, there is a barrier because systems are so complicated. When I grew up with a BBC Micro, you could just type in commands and run it; it was very simple,' Mark tells Metro. 'Using ChatGPT, off his own back, Fred created the character, its armour and sword and wrote a game that works. It is amazing to me and really encouraging.' A scroll through Fred's search history shows how much he uses ChatGPT now; to find out about Japan and China, to research his favourite animal – pandas, or to identify poisonous plants. He also uses the voice function to override the time it would take to type prompts, and Mark has seen how the model has protected Fred from unsuitable content. 'For his computer game, he wanted a coconut to land on one character's head, in a comedy way, rather than a malicious one. But ChatGPT refused to generate the image, because it would be depicting injury. For me, ChatGPT is a learning aid for young children who have got lots of ideas and enthusiasm to get something working really quickly,' he adds. Other parents aren't so sure, however. Abiola Omoade, from Cheltenham, regrets the day she bought a digital assistant, which she thought would provide music and entertainment, but has instead hooked her primary age sons' ever-increasing attention. 'I bought them a wall clock to help them learn to read the time. But they just ask Alexa,' the mother-of-three says with irritation. Abiola encourages reading, is hot on schoolwork and likes her sons Daniel and David to have inquisitive minds. But she's noticed that instead of asking her questions, they now head straight for the AI assistant, bypassing other lines of conversation and occasionally getting incorrect answers. 'Alexa has meant they have regressed. My son Daniel, 9, plays Minecraft, and he will ask how to get out of fixes, which means it is limiting his problem solving skills. And where they would once ask me a question, and it would turn into a conversation, now they go straight to Alexa, which bothers me as I know the answers aren't always right, and they lack nuance and diversity. AI is shutting down conversation and I worry about that. 'They ask Alexa everything, because it is so easy. But I worry the knowledge won't stick and because it is so readily-accessible, it will affect their memory as they aren't making an effort to learn new things. I fear that AI is going to create a generation of empty-heads who are overly reliant on tech.' Tutor Karen adds that the concern is AI often denies children of important tools that they need to learn from an early age. 'For younger children, the priority should be building strong, independent learning habits first. Primary school is a critical stage for developing foundational skills in reading, writing, and problem-solving. If children start relying on AI to generate ideas or answers, they may miss out on the deep thinking and practice required to build these skills.' Meanwhile, AI trainer Dr Naomi Tyrell issues a stark warning. The advisor to the Welsh government, universities and charities cites a case in which an American teenager died by suicide shortly after an AI chatbot encouraged him to 'come home to me as soon as possible.' 'Cases like this are heartbreaking', Dr Tyrell tells Metro. 'There are no safeguards and the tools need stronger age verification – just like social media. Ofcom warned about AI risks to young people in October 2024 and while the UK's Online Safety Act is now enforceable, there really needs to be more AI literacy education – for parents as well as children. We know children often learn things quicker than us and can circumvent protections that are put in place for them.' More Trending And just like the advent of social media, the pace of change in AI will be so fast, that legislation will struggle to keep up, Naomi warns. 'That means children are vulnerable unless we consciously and conscientiously safeguard them through education and oversight. I would not recommend that under-12s use AI tools unsupervised, unless it has been specially designed for children and has considered their safety in its design 'We know what has happened with safeguarding children's use of social media – laws and policy have not kept up despite there being significant evidence of harm. Children's use of AI tools is the next big issue – it feels like a runaway train already, and it will have serious consequences for children.' *Names have been changed MORE: This retinol stick 'instantly' irons out wrinkles – and the results are impressive MORE: Harriet Kemsley took me back to her hotel room at the Edinburgh Fringe MORE: Hit the spot with Lovehoney sex toy users are calling an 'orgasm machine!'
Indian Express
4 days ago
- Indian Express
Google Gemini now makes studying even more engaging than before: Here's how
The Google search engine has arguably saved students a considerable amount of time in finding information and narrowing down answers. On August 6, Google launched Guided Learning, a feature supported by Google's LearnLM, a model designed for learning and educational research. Guided Learning does not merely provide students with answers; it encourages participation by asking open-ended questions that foster discussion rather than supplying solutions. The feature breaks down problems or questions step-by-step, explaining them while adapting to the user's learning style. To clarify further, through multiple responses, Guided Learning offers users images, diagrams, quizzes, and videos to build and test their knowledge by emphasising the process. Google, in a blog, stated that Guided Learning was created as a safe space for students to ask questions they might have initially thought of. The aim was for the feature to provide both quick answers and detailed explanations. It was also designed to be conversational and judgment-free, allowing users to explore topics freely. Google collaborated with educators in developing Guided Learning to enhance teaching. The initiative was aimed at enabling students to explore and understand beyond the classroom and improve their problem-solving skills. To facilitate this, a dedicated link was developed for teachers to share with students or publish directly in Google Classroom, simplifying classroom integration. While developing features for students on Gemini, Guided Learning was infused with years of knowledge and informed by extensive experience from researchers, educators, and experts. These insights contributed to the foundation of LearnLM. Recently, Google also introduced new features in Google's AI mode to enhance students' research and queries. They announced that users can now upload images or PDFs to AI Mode on desktop. This allows users to ask questions about the content they are viewing, whether it is a homework task or a PDF document. To expand their understanding beyond the main content, users can ask follow-up questions and upload lesson-related PDFS. And in such a scenario where keeping structure can be difficult, the Canvas feature in AI Mode can be useful. The user can organise data and make plans across multiple sessions using Canvas. For instance, just tap the AI Mode and then the 'Create Canvas' button to begin creating a study schedule for an impending test. AI Mode will start collecting everything on the Canvas side panel right away, and the user may utilise follow-ups to fine-tune the output until it precisely suits their requirements. They will soon be able to supplement the study aid with context from the files, like a course syllabus or class notes.
Chicago Tribune
6 days ago
- General
- Chicago Tribune
Indian Prairie School District 204 board OKs e-learning plan renewal
Indian Prairie School District 204 is renewing its e-learning plan, which allows the district to offer remote instruction in lieu of emergency days. The e-learning plan is presented to the school board and Regional Office of Education every three years for adoption or renewal, according to District 204 Deputy Superintendent Louis Lee. Monday's school board meeting was the district's third time presenting it to the board for approval, for a renewal that extends until 2028. Lee said e-learning days are 'district-wide days that … allow student instruction to continue in lieu of the district's scheduled emergency days.' The district may use an e-learning day when school is closed for inclement weather, per its website, rather than calling off school. Lee explained that having an e-learning plan builds 'strength' around the school calendar and ensures continuity of instruction. E-learning days don't add to the days that the district may need to make up at the end of the school year, whereas calling off school for an emergency day does. District 204 was an early adopter of such a plan, Lee said at Monday's school board meeting, planning for it during the 2018-19 school year and implementing it for the 2019-20 year. 'Very strategic of the board, because we all know what happened in March 2020,' Lee said, in reference to the district's pivot to e-learning during the COVID-19 pandemic. 'As other districts were scrambling to get (e-learning) plans, many districts were formed based on ours, because we were one of the early adopters in the state.' Lee explained that an e-learning day is to offer five hours' worth of instruction. On the first day the superintendent calls for e-learning, instruction is asynchronous. Per the district's presentation at Monday's school board meeting, assignments are posted to Google Classroom or emailed, and staff are available via email or Google Classroom. If the superintendent decides to have a second consecutive e-learning day, there will be synchronous instruction. There's a five-day limit on e-learning days per year, Lee said. Indian Prairie offers a sample schedule and additional information on how e-learning days work on its website. For e-learning days, the district must ensure all students have electronic access. Lee explained that the district has 300 hotspots for students to use, for example, but noted that something like an electricity outage on an e-learning day might require a teacher to make special arrangements for any students who lose access. Lee said the district will continue to provide professional development opportunities to staff on remote instruction. There was no public comment during the public hearing for the e-learning plan, and it was approved by the school board at the meeting. From there, Lee explained, the plan goes on to the DuPage Regional Office of Education for final approval. 'It doesn't take away snow days,' District 204 Board President Laurie Donahue said on Monday, 'but it gives us more options for protecting our calendar and not having to go into the summer.'
CBS News
7 days ago
- Climate
- CBS News
McNair High in Stockton flooded by water main break, students shift to remote learning
A Stockton-area school is shifting to remote learning for the day after a water main broke and caused flooding on campus. The Lodi Unified School District announced Monday that McNair High School will be on remote learning for the day due to the situation. "Students will need to log onto their Google Classroom during their class periods. Students on campus will be going home," the district said in a statement. Video from the scene shows significant flooding in one of McNair's buildings. It appears several classrooms are impacted. Workers are trying to mitigate the damage. It's unclear how the water main broke and how long the school will be in remote learning. Lodi Unified schools only just returned from summer break last Tuesday.
Time of India
30-07-2025
- Business
- Time of India
Australia puts YouTube on list of banned social media for children under 16; How it will work, platforms included, and penalties
Live Events What platforms are affected? How will age verification work? Enforcement and penalties What's not included? (You can now subscribe to our (You can now subscribe to our Economic Times WhatsApp channel The Albanese government has announced that YouTube will be included in its new social media ban for users under the age of 16, a decision placing Australia at the global forefront of digital child initial decision was to exempt the platform, but it changed following a formal recommendation from eSafety Commissioner Julie Inman Grant, who cited a national survey of 2,600 minors showing that nearly 40 percent of children reported exposure to harmful content on YouTube, more than any other YouTube content will still be viewable without an account, users under 16 will be unable to comment, upload videos, or access age-restricted Kids app remains sweeping policy described by Prime Minister Anthony Albanese as 'world-leading' aims to reduce mental health harms by delaying children's exposure to addictive algorithms, cyberbullying, and graphic or inappropriate content.'Social media is doing social harm to our children, and I want Australian parents to know that we have their backs,' Albanese said during a joint announcement with Communications Minister Anika Wells on Wednesday(July 30).The ban will apply to major platforms including Facebook Instagram , Snapchat, TikTok , Reddit, X, and now, YouTube, which was originally slated for remains one of the most contentious aspects of the law. Under the legislation, platforms may request users provide a government-issued ID, but cannot require it as the only form of age verification. Instead, they must implement 'reasonable alternatives.'Trials of AI-driven age estimation tools, such as facial scans and voice analysis, have shown inconsistent results. In some government tests, 15-year-olds were mistakenly classified as adults in their final report on age-checking technology is expected later this year and will guide compliance that fail to comply may face fines of up to AUD 49.5 million (USD ~$33 million). The burden of enforcement lies with social media companies, not users or families. Children who bypass restrictions will not be penalized. Existing underage accounts must also be apps such as WhatsApp and educational platforms like Google Classroom are excluded. The government also clarified that online games are not covered under the new rules, citing fewer social harms compared to social media.
