{"id":247536,"date":"2026-06-11T23:00:59","date_gmt":"2026-06-11T22:00:59","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/schoolsweek.co.uk\/?p=247536"},"modified":"2026-06-12T20:46:28","modified_gmt":"2026-06-12T19:46:28","slug":"2-5m-fund-to-study-how-ai-tools-are-affecting-learning","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/schoolsweek.co.uk\/2-5m-fund-to-study-how-ai-tools-are-affecting-learning\/","title":{"rendered":"\u00a32.5m fund to study how AI tools are affecting learning"},"content":{"rendered":"

The government\u2019s go-to education research body has opened a \u00a32.5 million research fund<\/a>\u00a0to fill an \u201curgent evidence gap\u201d on\u00a0how tools like ChatGPT have impacted the way pupils learn.<\/p>\n

The Education Endowment Foundation (EEF) said the project will aim to understand how generative AI (GenAI) influences learning processes and outcomes.<\/p>\n

The foundation<\/a> is especially interested in how the technology may lead pupils to \u201coffload\u201d thinking tasks such as recall, planning, reasoning or drafting, onto the tools.<\/p>\n

The project will look at whether it supports deeper learning, or whether it weakens pupils\u2019 engagement, reduces their ability to remember what they have learned, or risks making them overly reliant on AI.<\/p>\n

Another key aim is to explore how AI affects different learners, particularly those from disadvantaged backgrounds.<\/p>\n

The EEF will use the fund to commission several studies which will examine a range of educational uses of AI, such as summarising content, solving problems, essay planning and receiving feedback.<\/p>\n

It will also investigate how AI use impacts outcomes, such as knowledge acquisition, working-memory and problem-solving, as well as motivation and resilience.<\/p>\n

\u2018Robust evidence\u2019 needed<\/strong><\/h2>\n

More than two-thirds of 13 to 18-year-olds\u00a0are using AI to support their literacy and learning, according to a recent\u00a0National Literacy Trust report<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Becky Francis, EEF chief executive, hoped the programme would create a \u201cmore robust understanding\u201d of AI\u2019s impact on learners.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere has been a lot of\u00a0speculation\u00a0about the potential of GenAI tools like ChatGPT to change teaching and learning, for better or worse. But the\u00a0collection of\u00a0robust\u00a0evidence on\u00a0their actual\u00a0impact\u00a0on learning has barely begun \u2013 especially for learners under age 16.<\/p>\n

\u201cAs these tools become more widely embedded, there is an urgent need to develop a much clearer understanding of whether and how GenAI supports or hinders the outcomes we want for learners.<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd we need\u00a0to avoid\u00a0any\u00a0unintended consequences\u00a0in widening inequalities for\u00a0different groups\u00a0of learners.\u201d<\/p>\n

Research teams are being invited to take part. They will have until 30 June to submit their expressions of interest.<\/p>\n

The research is expected to begin this year, with first findings expected in 2027.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Researchers will investigate whether pupils are now \u2018offloading\u2019 thinking tasks<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":316072,"featured_media":247523,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[3029,690],"post-theme":[2462],"class_list":["post-247536","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news","tag-ai","tag-edtech","post-theme-education-technology"],"acf":[],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t