AI Positives

Artificial intelligence has the potential to serve as a transformative change in how kids learn. But today, many K-12 traditional school districts have banned its use in the classroom, along with cell phones and other forms of social media.

Maybe it’s time to survey the news regarding how schools are using AI effectively when it comes to making their young learners smarter and stronger. Courtesy of EducationWeek, here’s a sample of how today’s teachers are using artificial intelligence for the betterment of their young learners:

Ana Sepulveda, a 6^th grade math and dual-language teacher in the Dallas Independent School District, said she allows her students to use generative AI platforms for specific assignments, such as translanguaging their curriculum. She added that although she assigns online learning modules, students are required to show their work in a journal, which counts as a project grade.

Lisa Apau, a high school science teacher in Massachusetts’ Worcester public schools, said she encourages her students to use AI platforms, but for situations when they don’t understand course material.

“I’m not going to fight that battle. What I want to do is…encourage kids to use it with ethics,” she said.

In Yakima, Washington, Beth Dallman, a chemistry teacher and International Baccalaureate coordinator at Davis High School, said AI is included in her school’s academic honesty policy, which allows for its use if it is cited as a source.

Jackie Wilson, the executive director of Summit Tamalpais High School, and her team created a chatbot that helps teachers use an Enneagram personality assessment to plan collaborations. It’s since become a fixture in the school’s professional development meetings and even parent-teacher conferences.

Teachers from the Navigator Schools charter network created an app that uses AI to generate a restorative activity based on a discipline incident’s description and severity, the grade and reading level of the students involved, the behavioral goals desired (like empathy or responsibility), and the time available for the restorative practice.

Heather Brown, an elementary teacher in Rock Falls, Illinois, created custom chatbots to help students choose their historical character – teachers can provide a pre-approved list, if they wish – interact with that figure, and find avenues for further research.

The Florida Virtual School, along with Concord Consortium – a research group, is exploring the possibility that artificial intelligence can help young learners understand the algebraic relationships that matter as students begin developing high math skills.

Other teachers say they use AI to develop rubrics, to compare and contrast a writing sample, and to help young writers generate ideas when ideas are tough to come by.

Artificial intelligence is in its infancy when it comes to assisting young learners define, plan, execute, and evaluate their own learning. It will improve – it already has, compared to 10 years ago. But to reject and ban AI as a learning organization borders on educational malpractice. Artificial intelligence offers us a toolbox never seen before in human history. It would be just plain stupid to ignore it.

Finally, this week Google’s Ben Gomes, the computer scientist who co-leads the tech giant’s education efforts, released this statement regarding the importance of humans in the learning process:

“People are fundamental in the learning process. People learn from other people, and people learn because of other people.”

Gomes encourages all of us to think of AI as a “thought partner” moving forward. AI can support what Gomes refers to as “guided learning” – when a young learner is moved beyond simple answers to develop their own ideas and think critically.

Finally, artificial intelligence has the potential to offer more and better feedback to the learner – something our current model of school-based learning struggles with mightily.

AI isn’t going away. Smart adult learning leaders are incorporating it into their learning plans every day. Those who aren’t are stunting growth in the young learners they are supposed to be helping.

Til tomorrow. SVB