Majdi Jaigirdar

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A-Level EPQ: EPQ Navigating the social impacts of AI on education

My A-Level EPQ project exploring the social impacts of AI on education.

By Majdi Jaigirdar | Published on 15 May 2023

A-Level EPQ: EPQ Navigating the social impacts of AI on education

An Extended Project Qualification (EPQ) is an independent research project that allows students to dive deep into a subject beyond the standard A-Level curriculum. For my project, I chose to explore one of the most transformative shifts: "Navigating the societal impacts of Artificial Intelligence: A focus on education, generative AI and beyond."

Looking back, the timing of this research feels serendipitous. I was documenting the shift in education just as the first wave of LLMs began to break and before ChatGPT was known widely. I caught the education system at a critical inflection point and reflecting on it now, it was a unique opportunity to analyse the early reactions and adaptation of AI by educators.

As generative AI tools like ChatGPT began to reshape the academic landscape, I wanted to see the real-world implications for both students and educators. My research focused on the delicate balance between AI as a tool for efficiency and its potential risks to academic integrity and human critical thinking.

Key Highlights of my Research:

  • Primary Data Collection: I conducted original surveys with students to bridge the gap between theoretical AI impacts and actual classroom practice.
  • The "Double-Edged Sword": My report analyses how AI can reduce teacher workload and personalise learning, whilst also creating new challenges in how we define "original" work.
  • Future Outlook: I explored the Department for Education’s (DfE) evolving guidelines and provided a critical analysis of how LLMs (Large Language Models) like Google Bard (Now Gemini) and ChatGPT are being integrated into study habits.

This project was a significant milestone in my academic journey. It sharpened my ability to synthesise complex data, evaluate the reliability of rapidly evolving secondary sources, and communicate nuanced ethical arguments skills that are essential in the ever-changing tech landscape.

The full EPQ report can be viewed below.

(Note: If the PDF does not display correctly in your browser, you can view or download it directly here )

This article is backdated to 2023-05-15 to reflect the completion date of the project during my A-Level studies. It was uploaded to this site on 2025-12-26.