Editor’s note: This story about managing academic integrity as generative ai comes to classroomsai-readiness-checklist-a-guide-for-district-leadership/”> originally appeared on the CoSN blog and is republished here with permission.
Rapid advances in artificial intelligence (ai) technology present incredible opportunities and significant challenges for educational environments. Whether a school district is considering leveraging ai or not, the influence of this technology on educational ecosystems is undeniable. As ai increasingly becomes a part of our daily lives, district leaders have a responsibility to understand its impact on educational environments and make informed decisions accordingly. This is true whether the goal is active adoption or simply preparation for a future where ai tools are prevalent in educational environments.
To ensure that school districts are adequately prepared for the integration of generative ai into their instructional and operational systems, the Council of Great City Schools, CoSN – Consortium for School Networking, and Amazon Web Services have partnered to create the K-12 Generation ai Readiness Checklist Quiz. There are several ways district leaders can best use this checklist to assess and improve their readiness to integrate generative ai technologies into instructional and operational systems.
The first step should be to gather a group of people who will form the district’s Generative ai Leadership Team. Who should participate?
- Superintendents and district leaders: As decision makers, your knowledge of how to align ai adoption with overall goals and strategies is critical.
- Chief technology Officers and Chief Information Officers: You will be the primary users of the checklist and will evaluate the capabilities, limitations, and technical needs.
- Multifunctional equipment: The checklist addresses a wide range of considerations, so it is essential to receive input from representatives of all departments involved, including academic, financial, and legal.
The checklist covers preparation in executive leadership, operational, data, technical, security, legal/risk management. Below are some ideas on how you can take advantage of the Checklist in your school district.
initial evaluation
Alignment with district goals: Start by examining whether ai technologies align with your district’s mission, vision, and values.
Resource inventory: Make sure you have designated teams or individuals who will be responsible for overseeing ai adoption.
Tactical steps
Legal review: Consult with the legal department to ensure compliance with state laws or district rules related to the use of artificial intelligence technologies.
Policy Development: Establish clear policies on the responsible use of ai, taking into account aligning them with existing federal guidelines and best practices.
Staff Training: Determine training needs for different roles within the district and prepare a training roadmap.
Operational availability
Procurement standards: Establish clear standards for ai procurement, focusing on compliance and ethical considerations.
Data governance and privacy: Ensure you have strong data governance policies and comply with privacy regulations.
Technical preparation
Security framework: Update your cybersecurity policies to include ai-specific considerations.
Identity and access management: Implement centralized, role-based data access controls specifically for ai tools.
Monitoring: Develop processes to track systems that use ai and how they are used.
Risk management
Legal Remedy: Update terms and conditions to include ai-specific clauses and ensure the legal team has remediation plans.
Copyright Policy: Create or update your copyright policy to include content created with ai tools.
Continuous review
Iterative approach: ai adoption is not a one-off event but an ongoing process. Periodic reassessments should be carried out.
Make the most of the checklist
Personalization: One of the strengths of the checklist is that it is designed to be adaptable. Districts should customize it to their unique needs and challenges.
Community Resource: The checklist is intended to evolve. Once it is publicly available under a Creative Commons license, districts will not only be able to modify it but also share their experiences and modifications, contributing to its value as a community resource.
The extremely rapid pace of ai development creates great opportunities and risk exposure. Creating a team that provides governance for the adoption of ai in educational settings is a critical step to guide use and prevent abuse. The K-12 ai Readiness Checklist provides a comprehensive framework to guide district leaders in engaging in understanding a complex ai ecosystem and the numerous considerations that come with ai adoption. By strategically leveraging this checklist, school districts can navigate the complexities of ai technology while aligning with educational goals and ensuring data privacy and security.
The goal is not just to blindly adopt new technologies, but to transform our educational systems for the better, and this checklist is a big step in that direction.
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