AI paper (SSTA)

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Agenda Item .......... 
Renfrewshire Joint Negotiating Committee for Teachers 
To: Renfrewshire Joint Negotiating Committee for Teachers
On: 25 March 2025
Report by
Joint Secretary (Teachers’ Side) 
Artificial Intelligence 
1. Background 
As the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) grows in commerce and society, its emerging
benefits and costs are regularly being reported.  The Scottish Government published
“Scotland’s Artificial Intelligence Strategy – Trustworthy, Ethical and Inclusive” in
March 2021, which set out the vision for positive use of AI in Scotland. 
Some secondary schools in Renfrewshire have provided CLPL sessions for teachers
with the aim of upskilling staff to harness the power of AI in creating learning &
teaching resources.  This has been well-received, and many teachers are putting this
new learning to good use. 
However, as learners become more familiar with using AI and uncover its potential,
this may lead them to use the technology in potentially questionable ways. One major
concern is the use of AI to complete tasks such as homework and, more significantly,
certificated assignments. 
Indeed, the Scottish Qualifications Authority published guidance for teachers in
identifying malpractice (see “Authenticating learners’ work – good practice advice for
centre staff”).  This is helpful, but there is some concern that failure to identify
plagiarism, whereby AI has been used in whole or part by a learner, will result in
unnecessary blame being placed on the teacher.  AI is so advanced that it may be
very difficult to detect nuanced plagiarism. 
2. Recommendation 
• Management to acknowledge the above concerns. 
• Management to promote SQA guidance “Authenticating learners’ work – good
practice advice for centre staff” to Renfrewshire secondary schools, and consider
investing in further training for teachers to help in the identification and prevention of
inappropriate AI use. 
• The teachers’ side seeks assurances that incidents of plagiarism and/or other
inappropriate pupil use of AI in relation to schoolwork will be viewed as the fault of
the perpetrator and not the teacher.