‘Deepfake’ teacher avatars to help pupils catch up

In an innovative move, educators are set to utilize “deepfake” technology to create virtual representations of themselves, aimed at delivering supplementary lessons for students who have been absent.

Staff at the Great Schools Trust will develop these avatars, which emulate their voice and visual features, using advanced AI video generation tools.

The avatars are designed to communicate vital content that students may have missed due to absence or suspension.

The recorded videos will guide students to catch-up materials accessible on Google Classroom, facilitating their learning through devices provided in year 7.

The academy trust emphasizes that these technological tools will not replace teachers but are intended to alleviate the workload associated with conducting catch-up sessions.

According to CEO Shane Ierston, teachers are dedicated to improving their communities and enhancing the world for future generations. He stated, “This technology empowers our staff, enabling them to do what they love without unnecessary burdens.”

Ierston further clarified, “This initiative is a step forward, not an effort to eliminate teachers, as concerns may arise from unions; it rather aims to supplement classroom experiences and free up time previously consumed by intervention tasks.”

Embracing software with a controversial history for educational advancement

The use of “deepfake” technology is contentious due to its capacity to create realistic versions of individuals. School leaders have raised alarms regarding its misuse for generating harmful content.

However, Ierston believes the trust is leveraging a tool with a dubious reputation for positive educational outcomes.

He acknowledged that teachers often face immense pressure to catch up returning students. “Attempting post-school intervention can add excessive stress,” he commented, emphasizing that such practices can be burdensome for educators.

Connecting absent students with their peers and favorite teachers is crucial; the avatars will help bridge that gap and pave the way for reintegration into the classroom environment.

Pupils will have the opportunity to submit written inquiries to their avatars, which can then reply with pre-programmed responses.

Despite some parents advocating for more online lessons post-Covid, Katie Sharp, the trust’s education director, reiterated that this is not the intention. “It’s essential for students to engage with each other and benefit from broader experiences; transitioning to an online school contradicts our mission,” she said.

Trust explores AI for grading to lessen teacher workload

Great Schools Trust is also investigating the implementation of AI to reduce the marking load by progressively substituting human evaluation of mock examinations. This shift is expected to significantly expedite the grading process, saving teachers considerable time across multiple assessment cycles.

A pilot program will see AI being utilized for GCSE mock cards, which the trust estimates could save some educators up to 80 hours when fully integrated.

For three years, teachers have collaborated with AI on assignments to identify system limitations, but starting this Christmas, select subjects across various schools will adapt to complete AI grading.

Exams will be scanned, converted into PDFs, and uploaded onto the trust’s specialized system, “CredimusAI,” with each document having a unique barcode. The students’ names are removed to maintain anonymity.

AI marking: quick and precise

AI is capable of assessing multiple scripts simultaneously, with the longest documents taking around four minutes to grade. Subsequently, it can generate lesson plans, identify gaps in knowledge, and create additional assessment questions.

The trust reports that AI grading is more accurate. Benjamin Barker, principal of King’s Leadership Academy in Wavertree, noted that an initial biology trial found the AI marked students more stringently by about 15 percent. However, when disagreements arose, the AI was accurate in around 13 out of the 15 disputed points.

He added, “It highlighted a bias where staff were grading students too positively,” suggesting a need for recalibration in assessment practices.

Ierston concluded that AI is “not just a novelty—it’s a key driver for our mission. Exceptional schools are built by dedicated individuals. Using AI grants them more time and energy to focus on what matters most: inspiring, teaching, and leading.”