Elevating Educator Understanding of AI in Schools

As artificial intelligence (AI) steadily integrates into educational settings, the imperative to equip educators and support staff with fundamental AI knowledge becomes increasingly clear. While many educational technology (edtech) solutions offer specific training for their respective AI tools, implementing a comprehensive AI education program can have a more profound and lasting impact.

The Importance of Foundational Knowledge

Courtney Bock, the AI Implementation and Library Media & Technology Specialist for the Mead School District in Washington State, emphasizes, “Tools have their place, but if we don’t first understand the how and the why, the tools are not as powerful.” Recognizing this need, Bock has created a structured four-part AI professional development series tailored to assist teachers in understanding and applying AI effectively in their classrooms.

Professional Development for Educators

Bock’s initiative serves approximately 10,500 students across North Spokane County and includes 90-minute sessions after school. Each cohort comprises an average of 25 teachers, creating a supportive environment where educators can share their struggles and insights. The program consists of four key sessions:

1. Session 1: AI 101
   Focuses on foundational knowledge, introducing essential vocabulary, such as “LLM,” while explaining how AI functions, its capabilities, and its limitations—all without diving deep into specific tools.

2. Session 2: Cheating and AI
   This session addresses the reality of students using AI in their learning. Here, educators learn to redesign assignments that integrate AI effectively, preparing for the inevitable presence of technology in academia.

3. Session 3: Using AI with Students
   Offering a more tool-specific approach, this session dives into practical applications of AI that teachers can directly implement in their classrooms.

4. Session 4: Improving Teacher Workflow
   This final part guides educators on utilizing AI to boost their efficiency and streamline tasks, ultimately saving valuable time.

Beyond these sessions, Bock provides ongoing support through a monthly newsletter, regular in-person presentations across the district’s schools, and virtual weekly AI office hours, ensuring that educators are continually engaged and supported in their journey.

Measuring Success: Educator Readiness and Confidence

The impact of Bock’s professional development series is quantifiable. Post-training evaluations reveal a remarkable 50% increase in teacher confidence regarding the application of AI tools with students and a 48% boost in preparedness to teach AI ethics. Such statistics underscore the importance of equipping educators with not only the tools but the understanding and confidence to deploy AI ethically and effectively.

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Guidance for Implementing AI Programs

For educators and administrators considering similar professional development initiatives, Bock suggests starting with AI literacy rather than overwhelming participants with tools right away. She recalls a previous attempt focused solely on AI tools, which resulted in many educators feeling lost due to their lack of foundational vocabulary and understanding.

Bock highlights the significance of providing free, accessible resources to help educators further their learning or certification in specific AI platforms. Institutions like Anthropic, Google, and AIEDU offer valuable AI training resources tailored for educators. She warns, however, to engage with these resources critically and adapt them to fit the specific needs of the staff and students.

Engaging Families and Communities

Moreover, Bock stresses the importance of involving parents and families in conversations about AI use in educational settings. When introducing AI tools to students, it is crucial to include parent and student voices in the discussions. She believes that since students often engage with AI daily, their insights are invaluable in shaping district policies around technology integration.

Additionally, Bock encourages the involvement of administrative and central office staff in professional development initiatives. These groups often seek ways to enhance operational efficiency through AI and can benefit significantly from training.

The AI Experience: A Journey of Collaboration

Bock’s unique background includes time as a natural language model analyst at a startup before returning to the education sector. This experience has enriched her current role, where she focuses on district-wide AI implementation while serving as a specialist for K-5 students.

Reflecting on the rapid development of AI, Bock describes the moment OpenAI’s ChatGPT became public as a merging of her dual career paths. “It’s just been, as you can imagine, a whirlwind of AI ever since,” she notes, emphasizing how supporting her fellow educators has brought her immense satisfaction.

Building an Educator Community

Bock highlights the transformative power of community in education. Learning in isolation can be challenging, but having a supportive group of colleagues fosters growth, encourages questions, and provides diverse examples to learn from—elements that are essential for successful implementation of AI in the classroom.

Resource List: Bock’s “AI Stack”

To help educators navigate the AI landscape, Bock recommends exploring various AI platforms. Her “AI Stack” includes:

• Claude
• MagicSchool
• CanvaAI
• Wispr Flow
• Gemini/Studio
• NotebookLM
• Gamma

These tools can help educators tailor their approaches and enrich their classrooms with AI’s capabilities.

In the rapidly evolving landscape of AI, empowering educators through comprehensive understanding and community support not only enhances their teaching practices but also prepares students for a future where AI is increasingly prevalent. Through Bock’s initiatives and insights, we see a promising pathway forward for schools aiming to embrace AI meaningfully.

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