AI in Education Working Group: What we’ve learnt so far, and what’s next
Over the last few months, we've been busy creating spaces for you to get hands-on with AI and we've learned a lot along the way.
From our peer working group sessions to last month's UBS upskilling workshop, the conversations and experiments have been brilliant. We wanted to share some of that learning with you and invite you to join us for one more session before the summer.
Safe AI Experimentation with CAST
Back in March, our AI in Education peer working group took part in a workshop on responsible AI experimentation, led by CAST, a charity which supports organisations to use AI for social good. The session helped members build confidence without rushing to solutions or large-scale adoption. We explored what responsible experimentation looks like in practice, common risks and safeguards, and how to design small, ethical experiments that genuinely support your work.
Sound like something you’d like to explore? Here are three resources to get you going:
🎥 Watch the recording and access the slide notes from the session
🔬 AI Experiments Library - CAST is building a library to help the sector learn from each other's real-world practice. If you've been piloting something, however small, browse examples and add your own here.
💻 Digital Leads Network - If you have a digital lead in your organisation, this free peer community is worth knowing about. Find out more and join here.
Participants at the UBS AI upskilling workshop
Building foundations with UBS upskilling session
In partnership with UBS, we hosted a half-day AI upskilling workshop in May designed to help members build confidence and get hands-on with practical AI tools. Attendees developed effective prompting skills and with support from UBS volunteers had dedicated time to explore how AI could streamline their own workflows.
"As a complete AI beginner, I came to the AI working group to better understand what AI is all about, and how it could support my role.
One of the most useful takeaways for me was being introduced to the world of AI agents and seeing practical examples of how AI can help with more time-consuming admin and workflows. Since the session, I’ve been exploring how I can best use AI to support things like follow-ups, and organisation. I’m still learning but I definitely feel like I have a much better understanding of what AI can offer and how it can be used thoughtfully and responsibly in day-to-day work."
- Amaia Martin, Corporate Partnerships Executive at Future First
Future opportunities
Following this success of these workshops, we are now planning more opportunities for you to upskill and consider how AI and technology can help you increase efficiency and impact.
Final AI Working Group session of the year
Date: Wednesday 8 July, 1.30–3pm
Our last session before the summer break is all about coming together to share, reflect and learn. This session is for all - whether you've run a small AI experiment recently or are simply curious to hear what others across the sector are trying.
During the session you will:
Share what you've tried, what worked, and what didn't
Hear honest reflections on responsible experimentation from peers across the sector
Shape what you'd like from the working group when we restart in September
As well as our regular AI in Education Working Group for FEA members, here are the workshops we're planning next, to help you make better use of AI and technology in your work:
2) Systems thinking workshop – a practical way to visualise how different parts of a problem connect, so you can identify root causes and make smarter decisions before reaching for a tech solution.
3) Power Platform hands-on training - a hands-on workshop looking at building automations to boost efficiency.
To sign up for the working group and be the first to hear about our workshops, complete this short form - you'll receive an invite and resources to start trying your own small experiments ahead of the day.
We're committed to sharing what we learn as we go, and the conversations and experiments happening across our network continue to shape how we think about AI in education.
If you’re not an FEA member, and you'd like to stay connected with this work - or learn more about how FEA membership could give you access to hands-on workshops, peer working groups, and practical resources like these - you can find out more on the Collective Strength page of our website, or you can get in touch with us directly via membership@faireducation.org.uk.
