The Educator Magazine U.K. May-August 2026 issue. - Magazine - Page 35
Teachers warn students aren’t
ready for an Ai driven world.
More than half of teachers across Europe believe that students’ critical thinking is in decline
Almost half (46 per cent) of teachers across
Europe don’t think schools are equipping
students with the skills needed for an AI
future a concern shared by two in five
teachers in the UK (41 per cent). That’s
according to new research on the impact of
technology on education commissioned by
household name Epson.
In fact, nearly six in ten teachers (58 per cent
in EU, 54 per cent in the UK) say the
education system does not know how to
prepare today’s students for a job market that
will be very different from that of previous
generations, thanks to the advent of AI.
Teachers across Europe are reporting
worrying declines in students’ critical
thinking skills,despite believing these abilities
are essential for success in an AI driven job
market.
More than half (56 per cent) say students’
critical thinking abilities have declined in
recent years, while 79 per cent report seeing
no improvement at all. UK teachers are
slightly less pessimistic, though concerns
remain, with 40 per cent reporting a decline
and 34 per cent saying there has been no
improvement.
These concerns are heightened by strong
agreement among teachers and academics
that uniquely “human skills” will be vital as
AI reshapes the world of work. Across Europe,
nearlytwo thirds of teachers (64 per cent) say
critical thinking will be the most important
skill forstudents in an AI dominated job
market, while UK teachers place greater
emphasis on problem solving, cited by 58
per cent as the most essential capability.
Yet many believe these skills are already in
decline. More than half of teachers across
Europe say students’ analytical thinking and
problem solving skills (both 53 per cent) have
deteriorated, compared with 32 per cent in
the UK for both. Nearly half (49 per cent) also
report a decline in emotional intelligence a
concern shared by 40 per cent of UK teachers.
These findings suggest that the current
education system is struggling to equip
students with the skills required for a rapidly
changing world.
An important way through which to teach
these skills is immersive learning [i]. This is
a technique that uses technology to create
interactive environments that simulate
real-world scenarios. It can include the use
of virtual reality, augmented reality and projected image[ii]. When asked if they had seen
the regular use of these technologies in their
school, over three quarters (77 per cent)
of teachers said not often or never.
Yet, the appetite for change is clear as
55 per cent of teachers — rising to 57% in
the UK specifically — would like their school
to introduce or increase the use of immersive
learning.
Projectors are the gateway to immersive
learning. These technologies enable large
- scale, 360o projections or interactive walls
that bring entire classes into a collaborative
environment at once. In fact, 56% of teachers
agree that schools should invest in tools like
projectors tosupport immersive learning.
With Epson, schools can make
immersive learning practical and scalable.
Its projectors can transform ordinary
classrooms into shared environments,
helping educators deliver engaging
experiences that support deeper
understanding and creativity.
Dr. Sarah Henklemann - Hillebrand at
Epson, said, “
The workplace is changing incredibly fast.
We don’t know what employers will need in
years to come as AI takes on more tasks. What
we do know is that people will need to be
critica l thinkers who can navigate uncertain
times. And immersive learning is proven to
help teach these uniquely human skills.”
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