Let’s not beat around the bush. AI is here to stay. Generative AI tools like ChatGPT and Bard are already transforming both teaching and learning. And, with or without AI education in schools, its impact on students and teachers alike will only continue to grow as the technology becomes more accessible and integrated into the hardware and software we use daily.

As a K-12 technologist, you typically hold some responsibility for ensuring these technologies are integrated successfully into your learning environments. However, you also have an opportunity to be an educator yourself. By taking a leading role in AI education, you can equip teachers with the knowledge and tools they need to teach their students how to use generative AI both creatively and ethically. 

Read on for a five-step plan to get your teachers comfortable with AI so they can confidently incorporate it into their teaching.

Step 1: Train Teachers on AI Basics

While the majority of teachers agree that AI education is needed, many aren’t yet knowledgeable about or comfortable with the technology themselves. Yet, your teachers’ AI readiness is essential to the success of your AI implementation.

Your teachers need a clear understanding of AI fundamentals and how it can be used for a variety of tasks. You can give it to them by conducting training sessions that cover the basics of AI and its applications to lay a strong foundation. You can develop these trainings yourself or use a resource like AI for Education, which offers free virtual workshops.

With the basics in place, you can advance to hands-on workshops where teachers can engage with AI software tools. Be sure to give them exposure to tools that demonstrate how AI makes their jobs easier, such as relieving the burden of administrative tasks like email communications and grading papers.

Step 2: Define Ethical and Responsible AI Use

Before implementing AI tools, you should develop and distribute an AI use policy. You’ll want to gather input from various stakeholders, especially your teachers, to inform this process.

By engaging your teachers in conversations during your initial AI education training, you can gain an understanding of their concerns about AI use in their classrooms. You’ll be able to address concerns directly, as well as identify specific items to address in your AI use policy.

When putting together your AI policy, you may find that your state DoE can provide guidance. As of October 2023, only two states (California and Oregon) had provided specific guidance, and 11 states were still in process. 

Even if your state is one of the other 37, you don’t need to let this step slow you down. Your initial AI use policy only needs to address a few key areas. You can then regularly review and revise it as needed.

Step 3: Identify AI Tools for Implementation

After you’ve distributed your AI policy and ensured everyone’s understanding, you’re ready to identify the AI tools you’ll implement. This selection process is a crucial step. Any tools that will be used by students should meet certain requirements to ensure that students can use them effectively and safely.

In addition to any specific requirements you have, you’ll want to consider the following:

• Does the AI tool give you the ability to monitor how students are using it?
• What guardrails does it have to ensure you’re teaching students to use AI responsibly?
• Can you customize how the tool responds and interacts (for example, to reinforce permitted and non-permitted uses)?
• Can you customize the content to support specific educational goals?
• How does the tool consume student data?
• How does it ensure student data privacy is maintained?

Once you’ve identified the AI tools that meet your requirements, start with smaller pilot projects in select classrooms. Gather feedback from teachers, students, and parents, and use these insights to refine your approach where needed as you expand and implement more broadly.

Step 4: Integrate AI Education into the Curriculum

You can help teachers get started by sharing examples of how to incorporate AI-based activities into their existing lesson plans. You’ll find some ideas in the following graphic, which shares some ways to use AI Chat from Securly, a generative AI tool designed specifically for K-12 schools.

Also remember that ethical and responsible AI use doesn’t begin and end with a policy. Be sure that lessons addressing the ethical aspects of AI are also incorporated into classroom instruction.

Step 5: Provide Ongoing Professional Development for AI Education

AI education isn’t a one-and-done event. As the technology and its applications continue to evolve, you’ll want to ensure teachers stay current with the latest AI developments and pedagogical strategies. 

In addition to more formal PD, consider forming peer learning groups and implementing a feedback mechanism. Peer groups provide the opportunity for teachers to collaborate on best practices, as well as share their AI-related challenges and success stories. The addition of surveying or otherwise gathering regular feedback will also help you stay on top of teacher needs and ensure they have the tools and knowledge necessary to succeed.

Get Started with Generative AI in Your Classrooms

As you progress on your initiatives to integrate AI into your learning environments, be sure to check out AI Chat from Securly. A brand new generative AI tool designed specifically for K-12 education, AI Chat makes it possible for schools to safely and responsibly introduce students to generative AI. 

AI Chat’s benefits extend far beyond the basics of generative AI. With AI Chat, you can:

• Monitor student usage of AI
• Guide students in the responsible and ethical use of AI
• Customize interactions and content to support educational goals
• Teach students digital citizenship
• Ensure student data privacy is maintained

To learn more about AI Chat, read the blog or visit www.securly.com/aichat.