AI, learning environments and educational reform: Ulrike Cress in the Bitkom podcast “Smart School”

Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, there have been significant developments in the digitalisation of schools – yet at the same time, there is still much to be done. In the Bitkom podcast “Smart School”, Prof. Dr. Ulrike Cress, Director of the Leibniz-Institut für Wissensmedien (IWM), discusses how schools can become more digital, engaging and fair. She explains why the education system has long struggled with digital transformation and what is needed to drive this process forward sustainably.

Digital materials play a central role in this, as they should be as easy to use as a school textbook. They open up new possibilities for adaptability, personalisation and individualisation in the classroom. Children can be addressed more specifically according to their individual learning levels, and content can be presented in a way that is more relatable and understandable. Or, as Ulrike Cress puts it: “My goal is an engaging school – not one that bores children, but one that excites them."

Skills development and reducing workload

Having materials available on demand can not only engage children but also reduce the workload for teachers – for example, when preparing for and following up on lessons, or when supporting heterogeneous learning groups. However, this requires teachers and pupils alike to possess the necessary competences. In the podcast, Ulrike Cress therefore emphasises the importance of further training, particularly with regard to the use of artificial intelligence. AI should not be used in the classroom to take over learners’ thought processes, but rather to provide them with targeted support in their learning.