During the pandemic, periods of learning from home offered families an unusual window into some of the realities, challenges and joys of teaching. Many people were struck by how much was happening at once: explanation, questioning, reassurance, correction and adaptation all unfolding in real-time.
Up close, expert teaching is a highly skilled process grounded in an understanding of human development, learning and decision-making. Research describes this as supercomplexity: fast moving environments with multiple demands, where knowledge may be uncertain and contexts can shift quickly.
There is no lack of ‘supercomplexity’ in parenting either. Like teachers do in lessons, parents are making hundreds of decisions all the time for the benefit of their children. Some decisions are carefully planned in advance, many more are made moment by moment in response to the mood, the individual or what’s happening around you, and based on thousands of hours of life experience.
For teachers, their classroom experience and training tells them whether to pause or press on, how to respond to a misconception, when to probe with a question, or how to support one pupil without losing the momentum of the class. Outside of lessons teachers consider what went well and what needs to be refined. Noticing what matters and responding wisely, is how we navigate supercomplexity, and support our students to learn and thrive(1).
Technology, and AI in particular, adds another dimension.
Keeping children safe and educating them about the informed use of AI and other technologies is always the first priority, but we are also always considering the ways EdTech and AI might change ‘how’ we teach.
Over the past week, I’ve been at the BETT technology show in London, working with school leaders from all over the world on the potential roles of Generative AI in education. Our sessions began by asking participants to think back to their own school days and reflect on what their teachers did that made learning stick.
I heard wonderful stories. Memorable (or occasionally questionable) science experiments; historians bringing the past vividly to life; teachers noticing strengths, affirming character and offering support, challenge and recognition. It was a moving experience, and one that powerfully illustrates the irreplaceable difference an expert human teacher can make in a child’s life.
So, how might EdTech and Generative AI change this picture? Technology is ever-changing, and can definitely contribute to the sense of supercomplexity in the classroom environment. At Cranleigh, we choose iPads deliberately, in part because they form less of a barrier between student and teacher than other classroom technologies. They are used thoughtfully and selectively, where evidence suggests there is a clear benefit for teaching and learning. Used wisely, technology allows teachers to see pupils’ thinking more clearly, notice patterns that might otherwise remain hidden and respond with greater sensitivity and precision to students’ needs.
Generative AI brings genuine possibilities in education: reducing admin, supporting planning, helping pupils organise ideas and opening new ways of reflecting on learning. At the same time, it introduces new complexities about judgement, sustainability and the nature of learning and knowledge. As the pace of technological change accelerates, teachers face a growing challenge: deciding not simply what is possible, but what is appropriate for pupils. As Professor Rose Luckin reminds us, we should ‘learn fast and act more slowly.’
Guided by this principle, Cranleigh’s stance with Generative AI is one of cautious optimism, focussed by a critical and educationally grounded lens. We are interested in safe, secure and thoughtful uses of AI, where tools serve human purposes and stimulate thinking, rather than offering quick fixes or chasing the hype cycle that often surrounds new technologies.
To support this work, we have recently launched the Cranleigh Centre for Research, focusing on digital innovation, teaching and learning and action research. Since we launched, over 60% of Cranleigh teachers have actively engaged with the Centre, contributing to inquiry grounded in their own classrooms and using evidence to reflect on and refine practice for the benefit of our students. This appetite for professional learning reflects the expertise within our Common Room, as staff work on their curriculum design, sequencing and assessment, demonstrating the strength of Cranleigh’s culture of learning. We work deliberately: supporting our teachers’ professional learning, engaging critically with research, connecting with innovative and likeminded schools locally and globally and approaching new technologies with care and purpose.
We embrace supercomplexity, because real life is super-complex. And getting more so, thanks to technology. But tech can also be part of the solution to our super-complex world. So long as we are capable of noticing what matters and responding wisely. As our motto says, from our culture comes strength, and our aim is to make sure that Cranleighans benefit from our strong grasp of how, when, where and why we use technology.
References
1. Teaching has long been described in research as a form of expert professional judgement, requiring practitioners to make informed decisions in complex, uncertain, and fast-moving situations (see, for example, Shulman, 1987; Schön, 1987; Hargreaves & Fullan, 2013).
