Is My BehindSchool the AI Curve?

By Jeff Utecht

In April, the Oklahoma State Department of Education released Guidance and Considerations for Using AI in Oklahoma K-12 Schools. As states like Oklahoma have released guidance on artificial intelligence, I have had the honor of supporting its implementation in more than 100 districts across multiple states. I have also assisted agencies like CCOSA in helping school leaders understand AI’s impact on educational institutions at large, as well as helping my home state of Washington write their AI guidance, which partly inspired Oklahoma’s guidelines.

As we are several weeks into another school year and I connect with school leaders, they often start the conversation with, “I know we’re behind on AI.”

First off, it’s hard to be behind when this technology is just two years old. Secondly, you’re probably not as far behind as you think, and because it’s so new, you can close that gap quickly. The “early adopters” or “early leaders” aren’t that far ahead because, again, this technology is only two years old.

I want to share where I believe schools and districts should be right now, in the early part of the 2024-25 school year. This is where the schools I’ve been working with are currently, and where I hope we are across the nation. My intent in sharing this is to help you recognize your progress if you’ve already accomplished some of these things and to consider your next steps. Right now, the only way you’re truly behind is if the following are true:

■ Your team/school/district has not done any work around AI to date.

■ Educators and staff are still afraid of or don’t really understand what AI is.

■ You have no plan for moving forward.

■ Students using AI is seen as cheating.

■ Staff are still in the “What” and “Why” stage, as in “What is it?” and “Why do I need to know about it?”

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Have had initial training for central and schoolbased administrative teams:

■ My trainings are roughly three hours in person or two 90-minute virtual sessions and support central and school administrators in understanding what Generative AI is, its potential for their own work, and what it means for educators and students.

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Have had initial training for K-12 educators, paraeducators, and office staff:

■ My training of roughly two hours helps set a baseline understanding of what generative AI is, how to think about it, how to prompt it, and what pitfalls to watch out for.

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Have created an “AI Team” to start making policy and guidance recommendations:

■ This team usually falls under the scope of Teaching & Learning Departments. It’s sometimes an AI professional learning community (PLC) team or a team of early adopters. I highly recommend finding your student early adopters and including them on this team. Their voices are critical as we create norms and guidance around generative AI use within the classroom.

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The AI Team should be starting to make recommendations for the current school year around policies and guidelines that need to be updated, including:

■ School board policy recommendations.

■ Updates to the student code of conduct around AI.

■ Creating teacher responsibility guidance around AI use in the classroom.

■ Creating or adopting an “AI Matrix” to be used at either the school or department level. This matrix should guide both students and educators in knowing what level of use AI can be used on each assignment and assessment.

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■ Suggesting updates to syllabi for middle school and high school staff that reflect the relationship between the AI Matrix and student and teacher responsibilities around AI.

Should be in the process of creating an AI training calendar for the 2024-25 school year for educators around the implementation of AI in lessons, conversations, and projects.

Should be in the process of starting to learn how to create custom generative AI bots to be used within the school system and as supplements for (and in some cases, replacements for) curriculum.

Should be starting to think of or design generative AI electives or courses to offer to middle school and high school students.

This is where I think schools should be at this time. If your school or district is anywhere close, then you’re on the right track. You are not behind, and you’re probably leading the way. I would love to hear where your school is in relation to these ideas right now in the 2024-25 school year. ■ challenges; we’re anticipating the needs of tomorrow, securing a foundation for education where every student can thrive in safety and confidence. and endpoint security.

Jeff Utecht is a highly regarded educator, consultant, and author who has dedicated his career to exploring the intersection of technology and education. With over 20 years of experience working in the field, Jeff is widely recognized as an expert in digital literacy, educational technology integration, and innovative teaching practices. He is also a sought-after speaker and presenter, having delivered keynote addresses and workshops at conferences around the world. Jeff’s work has helped to shape the way educators think about technology and its role in the classroom, and his insights continue to inspire educators to embrace new technologies and pedagogical approaches in their own practice. Learn more at jeffutecht.com.

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