The 17th annual World ORT Hatter Technology Seminar in London tackled a sometimes-controversial topic: Generative AI.
The 25 educators attending the four-day event, which focuses on STEM training, came from ORT schools and affiliates in Argentina, Brazil, Peru, Colombia, Panama, Mexico, Costa Rica, South Africa, Singapore, Israel, Czech Republic, Bulgaria, Lithuania, Estonia, France, Italy and Spain.
Welcoming the delegates, Lady Irene Hatter, whose late husband Sir Maurice – former World ORT President – established the annual event, said: “World ORT is committed to making sure that the education we provide is always up to date and relevant. This year, the subject of the seminar is Generative AI. This is a vital subject and, I believe, this is part of our future.”
The controversy surrounding Gen AI includes fears that machines will replace people, that the technology is not accurate and that students will cheat. Concerns over emerging technology, argued some presenters and delegates, are not new. Participants remembered fears over the introduction of the calculator in the classroom, for example.
Rather, they said, the technology is here to stay and already being used by students, therefore educators must embrace it for their own use – it can help them to reduce their workload by producing or refining lesson plans, for example – and design policies in their institutions to ensure students develop critical thinking skills to use it safely and improve their outcomes.
Daniel Tysman, Head of World ORT’s Education Department, said: “There’s no doubt that currently the biggest talking point for schools worldwide is AI. The Hatter Seminars allow ORT schools to connect with leaders at the forefront of STEM education, and this year’s event gave delegates a huge boost in understanding AI and the impact that it will have on their schools.
“From developing strategy and designing policies, enhancing teaching and learning, performing mundane tasks, delegates were given lots of ideas of how to approach each task and above all how they and their students can get the best use from this technology in an ethical and responsible way.”
The annual seminar provides an opportunity for ORT’s professional educators from around the world to explore the latest developments in teaching and learning in the areas of STEM and take them back to their institutions and maintain a network of educators for peer support.
After presentations from educational experts in the field of AI, delegates visited Yavneh College in Borehamwood, where Assistant Headteacher Brandon Pieters gave a talk on practical uses of AI for teachers.
Later, at North East Surrey College of Technology, CEO Julie Kapsalis expressed her excitement at the opportunity for collaboration between World ORT and the institution. Somayyeh Clifton, the college’s Head of Quality Improvement & Innovation and an expert on AI for Education and Training, discussed harnessing chatbots for practical support in AI-driven teaching and learning and highlighted tools and pedagogical approaches, including a deep dive into NotebookLM. She then introduced the college’s innovative VR Learning Resource Centre and delegates had an opportunity to try it for themselves.
One participant said the seminar had “changed the way I perceive AI”, adding: “It will make a difference to how I teach it in the future. The students will have the advantage of what I have learnt here.”
Roger Guerrero, Co-ordinator of Innovative Technology and Education at the ORT-affiliated Colegio Hatikva in Barcelona, Spain, said: “I came to the seminar because I wanted to share experiences with colleagues from around the world and see how they are implementing AI in their schools and how to lead the transformation in education. We learnt not just about the tools and how we can implement them, but also how to use and grade personalized programs for students with special needs.
“ORT provides us with a lot of educational programs and we can participate in them with students from around the world. My personal networking and my school networking is growing every day. I am very grateful and thankful to be here.”
World ORT’s Learning Development Manager, Leor Harel, said: “The Hatter Seminar was a fantastic opportunity to bring a diverse group of professionals together to network, share good practice and further our knowledge on a prevalent theme within education today.”
