£2.5 million fund launched to study how AI tools affect learning

File: School Week

According to School Week, EEF said the project aims to understand how generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) influences learning processes and educational outcomes. The foundation is particularly interested in whether the technology encourages pupils to “offload” thinking tasks, including recalling information, planning, reasoning and drafting text to AI tools.

The research will also examine whether GenAI supports deeper learning or, conversely, weakens pupils’ engagement, reduces their ability to retain information, or makes them overly dependent on artificial intelligence. Another key objective is to explore how AI affects different groups of learners, especially pupils from disadvantaged socio-economic backgrounds. Through the fund, EEF will commission several studies covering a range of educational uses of AI, including content summarisation, problem-solving, essay planning and feedback generation.

In addition, researchers will investigate the impact of AI use on outcomes such as knowledge acquisition, working memory, problem-solving skills, motivation and resilience. Research teams are being invited to participate in the programme and have until June 30 to submit expressions of interest.The research is expected to begin this year, with the first findings anticipated in 2027.