Ownership, Not Fear: Preparing Educators for AI in the Classroom

Tim Dawkins is Assistant Superintendent for Curriculum and Instruction in the South Glens Falls Central School District in Upstate New York. In the past, he has been a school counselor, high school assistant principal, and middle school principal. He also writes a semiregular Substack newsletter focused on the world of education, mental health, and how to build connections to the world around us. You can find him online at https://bio.link/ timothy.

In an always available, increasingly unavoidable, digitally driven world, where artificial intelligence has become an integral part of many aspects of our lives, it is imperative that school leaders prepare our educator colleagues to guide today’s and tomorrow’s students into this AI-dominated landscape. In fact, the speed with which this has become our reality, with large language models dominating the educational news cycles since late autumn, makes this work even more urgent, and the ease with which I’ve worked the phrase “large language model” into regular conversation is startling on its own. So, what does this urgency mean for us? One thing is certain; It necessitates a focus on professional development for teachers and school leaders around AI to foster confidence, reduce apprehension, and encourage ownership of this technology that is not going away.

It is crucial for educators to understand what AI is and its potential applications in the education sector. AI involves using machines or software to emulate human intelligence, learning from patterns and improving over time. In the educational setting, AI can be used for personalized learning, grading, identifying student learning patterns, providing real-time feedback, writing IEP goals, and much more. As the role of AI continues to grow, students will not only need to understand how to use AI tools but will also need to develop critical thinking skills to navigate an AI-driven world. Educators, therefore, must be at the forefront of this change, understanding AI not as a replacement but as a tool to augment their teaching practice. The implementation of the The K-12 Computer Science and Digital Fluency Learning Standards in New York State has truly come at the perfect time, and our work around implementation of these standards in public schools puts us at an advantage early on to integrate understanding for our students around artificial intelligence.

The key to reducing fear and building confidence in using AI tools lies, as so many things do in education, in professional learning. By developing a comprehensive understanding of AI and its applications, educators can more confidently incorporate these tools into their classrooms. As the assistant superintendent for curriculum and instruction in the South Glens Falls

Central School District, I am in a unique position to be a linchpin when it comes to deciding if we are going to embrace these technological advances or foregoing curiosity and exploration to shut down access districtwide. Luckily I work with a great team who are ready, willing, and able to work alongside our staff to help them develop the skills needed to take ownership of this very powerful technology.

Here are some strategic steps that we have encouraged in our school district to foster professional development around AI:

1. AI Literacy It is essential for educators to understand the basics of AI, how it works, and its potential impact. Professional development programs should include AI literacy as a foundational component, demystifying the technology and making it accessible. In South Glens Falls this has involved large group instruction at faculty meetings to provide an overview of what is already out there and what is coming.

2. Hands-on Training After gaining a basic understanding, educators should have opportunities to engage with AI tools directly. Hands-on training allows educators to learn how to effectively implement AI in their classrooms, experiment with different tools, and learn best practices. Our

Director of Technology Integration and Information, an administrative position, and our Technology Integration Specialist, a teacher on special assignment, work together to bring PD directly to small groups and individual teachers. We also have a robust partnership with tech specialists in our region and nationally who can offer support and insight on new and emerging tools.

3. Collaborative Learning Schools must encourage peer-to-peer learning and collaboration whether the tools are digital or not. We know this. Colleagues can share their experiences, successes, and challenges with AI, building a community of practice that supports ongoing learning and exploration. We have created an approach to collaboration and open discussion that we call The Podcast Club where participants listen to a short episode of an individual podcast, usually between 20 and 30 minutes long and then come together virtually to discuss takeaways from the episode. We have found that this, rather than a book study, is a much more digestible way for busy educators to synthesize new information and diverging thoughts than a book study because of its brief and immediately relevant nature.

4. Continuous Support In order for AI to be seen as a tool for us to take control of and not the other way around, schools must provide ongoing support and resources for educators as they incorporate AI into their teaching. Teachers, as instructional experts, should have the opportunity to wield AI technology as they have learned to wield previous iterations of emerging edtech tools. Continuous support may look like easy access to technical support, updated training, and forums for sharing experiences and asking questions with local and regional colleagues.

5. Edtech Partnerships There are many opportunities for schools to partner with emerging edtech companies that are on the cutting edge of AI-integrated tools. In South Glens Falls we are currently partnering with a company based in Norway called Curipod, a tool that helps teachers to build interactive and dynamic lessons, as part of an AI accelerator program. Through building and maintaining professional relationships by attending conferences and saying yes to visits, we have been able to enrich opportunities for students and staff in this way.

As we look ahead, it is clear that AI will continue to shape what happens both inside and outside our classrooms. We need to ensure that our teachers and administrators are equipped to lead our students into this new frontier. This involves not only professional development but also updating our curriculum and classroom spaces to reflect these changes.

Curriculum and instruction changes should include:

1. Integrating AI Across Subjects AI shouldn’t be confined to computer science or technology classes. Instead, we can integrate AI across various subjects, showing students how it is used in different fields, from healthcare and arts to environmental science and business. Remember that our job in school today is to prepare students with the essential skills to thrive in a world of work that does not yet exist.

As we use more AI tools, ethical considerations become increasingly important. Students should learn about data privacy, bias in AI, and the potential social and economic impacts of AI. Although the technology is easily accessible all around us, we are still in the early stages. There is much yet to be tweaked and perfected, and our students will be the ones engaged in this work sooner rather than later. If they have not thought fully about the implications of that work, the product will surely reflect that experience.

Computational thinking involves problem-solving methods that include expressing problems and their solutions in ways that a computer could execute. It’s an entirely new way of approaching old problems. By promoting computational thinking, we equip students with a key skill for the AI-driven world. Again, in New York State we can certainly look to the Computer Science and Digital Fluency Standards to help guide us in and around the classroom.

4.

Look and Feel Like We cannot teach new and innovative thinking in spaces that feel like they were put together in the 1900s. Updating how learning takes place in our classrooms is as much about the desks that the work is done at as it is about the work itself. This includes collaborative spaces like libraries, cafeteria, and even hallways, as well. Take a look at your current setup from elementary schools to high schools. Do they look ready to engage learners in 2023 or 1923? If you’re unsure, ask the students directly. They will be honest, clear, and they know what works best for them.

Students with disabilities stand to benefit greatly from ongoing and updated availability of tech learning tools, and the evolution of AI is no exception. These tools have already and will continue to revolutionize how students check their work, receive feedback for improvements, and ask for help. It also gives all families the tools to continue helping their children after the school day is over.

Embracing AI in education doesn’t mean replacing educators with machines. Instead, it means using AI as a tool to augment teaching and learning, providing personalized and interactive experiences for students. As school district leaders, we have the responsibility to ensure that our educators are prepared for this AI-driven future. Through robust professional development, ease of access, and supporting a growth mindset we can reduce fear, build confidence, and ensure that our teachers are ready to guide students into this new era.

Remember, the goal isn’t just to teach students about AI but also to help them understand its impact on society and empower them to be informed users and creators of AI. As we continue to navigate this exciting and challenging world that seems to change right under our feet, our educators will be the guiding force, leading students towards a future where they can use AI tools confidently and ethically. We owe it to society to ensure that we are not merely passive observers but active participants in the AI revolution. Let us invest in our schools, in our educators right now, for they will shape the leaders of our AI-driven world tomorrow, and that affects all of us.