Integrating ai-based resources and tools into education has the potential to reshape the learning landscape, offering personalized insights and rapid feedback. However, these opportunities carry critical ethical and legal concerns that educators must consider.
From inadvertent data capture to the perpetuation of bias and misinformation, the risks inherent in ai implementation demand careful attention. In this context, educators play a fundamental role in protecting students.
While ai-created assessments can provide valuable insights, human supervision remains essential to accurately interpret student performance. The challenges posed by integrating ai into education underscore the need for ongoing teacher training, vigilant monitoring, and clear policies to address ai-related incidents.
The use of ai-powered resources and tools in education also poses the risk of perpetuating questionable content through Deepfakes and spreading misinformation. Additionally, when using ai tools, educators should ensure they comply with student data privacy laws, such as FERPA and COPPA. Limiting data sharing steps to protect student data should always be a priority.
As a general rule, do not share any identifiable information. For example, if you are using ai to get ideas to support modifications for a student who has an IEP, be sure to remove all information about the child's name, date of birth, student ID number, and address. Entering the modifications is fine, without all this other information. A simple find/replace search can remove this information as you navigate the ai search functions.
<h2 id="preventing-ai-generated-content-bias-and-discrimination”>Prevent bias and discrimination in ai-generated content
I often have written about this. The problem is that an ai platform is not the one that generates biased content but rather the Internet ecosystem from which it captures the information collects it. Attempts to eliminate prejudice have led to embarrassing circumstances, such as ai-bias-ethics” target=”_blank” data-url=”https://www.vox.com/future-perfect/2024/2/28/24083814/google-gemini-ai-bias-ethics” referrerpolicy=”no-referrer-when-downgrade” data-hl-processed=”none”>The embarrassing creation of Google Gemini images of extremes like a historically inaccurate Pope.
A simple but important step to protect against ai bias includes running a message with well thought out wording, as described in the steps here. Human oversight and review of ai-generated content is essential.
This relates to an ideology in the use of ai that I refer to as the ai 80-20 principle. That is, ai can do 80% of the work, but the user must unconditionally come back and edit, review and verify the work and, most importantly, add their literary voice.
Listed below are examples of awkward writing that often appears in ai content, along with repetitions, which are red flags that the content is ai-generated and unedited or unreviewed. This goes back to the important commitment we teach children: re-editing content and checking for validity, both of which are part of the broader practice of proofreading, editing, and revising. Remember, great writing requires great editing!
Awkward wording that often appears in ai-generated content
- Besides
- Unwavering
- Therefore
- Due
- Relentless
- Besides
- Besides
- expertly
<h2 id="ai-driven-assessments-and-grading”>ai-powered assessments and ratings
ai-based assessments and grading can provide valuable insights into student learning, but educators must ensure they are valid and effective, reflecting the importance of the aforementioned emphasis on proofreading, editing, and revising.
Teachers should never, ever rely solely or even primarily on ai to interpret a student's performance. Students' lack of context and knowledge is lost with ai. Use the 80/20 principle I referred to to ensure the quality of the answer.
Conducting regular assessments of an ai platform's accuracy and reliability, implementing human review and validation processes, and using multiple assessment methods help ensure comprehensive student evaluation.
Training and teaching support
Educators need training and support to effectively integrate ai-powered tools into their teaching practices. Professional development, training, resources and lesson plans, collaboration, and sharing of best practices help educators realize the potential of ai. Without this type of support, educators will remain lost in the sea of BIG ai and unsure how to respond.
While this article is a useful resource, additional development and updates must be made due to the inevitable changes and developments in ai. One way to achieve this is through edcamp style meetings for teachers. These are cost-effective, attractive and practical ways to provide ongoing support and updates. This way, Edcamp-style intermittent professional development can occur and allow enthusiastic teachers and school leaders (like me!) to provide the necessary guidance and support. Teachers benefit from practical ways to use (and not use) ai.
<h2 id="addressing-concerns-about-ai-replacing-teachers”>Address concerns about replacing teachers with ai
The integration of ai into classrooms raises concerns about the potential replacement of human teachers and staff.
Simply put, ai will not replace human teachers because it lacks the emotional intelligence and ability to form meaningful connections that are crucial to helping students learn and develop socially, academically, and physiologically. While it has the potential to provide personalized learning experiences and rapid feedback, teachers play a vital role in fostering critical thinking, creativity, and social skills, which ai cannot adequately manage (yet!).
The human touch in teaching, including empathy, moral support, and the ability to motivate in the face of setbacks, remains irreplaceable.
Response to ai-related incidents, such as cyberbullying or ai-generated bullying, should be further developed and described in the school's Acceptable Use Policies. Useful learning strategies can be borrowed from methods for managing social media issues to help students learn to make appropriate usage decisions.
Ultimately, integrating ai into education offers enormous potential to improve student learning outcomes, but also raises important ethical and legal considerations. Educators have a critical role to play in navigating this complex landscape and ensuring that ai is used in ways that benefit students and respect their rights.
