New priorities in teacher preparation

Key points:

The emergence of artificial intelligence as a tool in education presents opportunities and challenges for teachers aspiring. The generative ai has the potential to transform teaching practices, improve efficiency and even promote equity, but if used without care, it can also reinforce harmful biases.

In my experience, working with educators in K-12 schools, community schools and universities, I have seen that significant progress requires going beyond surface solutions. When preparing educators to approach ai with a critical lens and a deep understanding of inclusive teaching practices, teachers preparation programs can ensure that technology will be used to empower, not exclude.

Cultural competence and ai

To become effective change agents, the next generation of teachers must take possession of three central areas: cultural competence, social-emotional learning and innovative practices (including ai).

Cultural competence, the ability to recognize, respect and address the various history of students, is essential for the participation and success of students. However, this concept often receives insufficient attention in teacher training standards, which prioritize state evaluations on skills related to cultural response capacity.

In practice, cultural competence begins with the creation of environments where students feel safe to share their experiences and know that these perspectives are valued. This implies integrating students' experiences into the curriculum as central learning components, instead of treating them as complementary or extracurricular topics. Social-emotional learning (SEL) complements this by equating teachers with the tools to generate trust, promote collaboration and support emotional well-being in their classrooms.

The generative ai will probably promote conversation about innovative practices in the predictable future. Although many of the current discussions about ai in education tend to focus on logistic concerns at macro level such as plagiarism, their potential impact on equity and inclusion demands the same attention. Scholars like Nblle tomorrowauthor of Oppression algorithmsThey have shown how biases embedded in search engine algorithms have perpetuated negative stereotypes about people of color. Today's generative the ai ​​platforms often have similar risks, which makes it essential for educators critically evaluating these technologies and using them responsible.

Advantages of ai in the classroom

The generative ai offers educators a variety of opportunities to improve their teaching practices, from improving the design of lessons to the promotion of creativity in the classroom. By automating repetitive tasks, ai can reduce teachers' workloads and give them more time to concentrate on a significant and student -centered job.

When carefully used, this technology can also create opportunities to reinforce cultural competence and inclusion. For example, ai can help educators develop lessons plans and materials that reflect various cultural experiences, helping students feel seen and valued. It can also help teachers improve the accessibility of the curriculum when generating Marcos de Prayer, scaffolding tools or multilingual resources for students who need additional support in areas such as writing or language learning.

artificial intelligence can also help teachers reflect to authorize their practices and identify improvement areas in a way without judgment. By providing constructive information and suggestions, these platforms allow educators to refine their approaches and better address students' needs.

Despite these benefits, ai should not be seen as an equal partner in teaching, but as a tool that empowers educators to implement an attractive and student -based curriculum. As we continue to explore the potential of ai, it will be crucial to integrate this technology intentionally, ensuring that it serves as an improvement for humans promoted by humans.

Community initiatives

A series of collaboration initiatives are now exploring practical uses for ai in educational space. At the University of Notre Dame de Namur, we are creating an ai center that connects teaching education programs with local school districts, community schools and professional organizations. The HUB provides a way for stakeholders to discuss best practices and share ideas on how we can use ai to benefit society and prepare our young people for future careers.

As part of our commitment to the responsible integration of the IA, NDNU has signed Digital Transformation Commitment. This promise describes the strategies to ensure that educators are prepared to provide equitable learning opportunities while adopting new technologies. We have also brought Cate Tolnai, an expert recognized in education of ai and K-12, to act as our protagonist of the integration of ai in teacher training.

Other groups in California are also advancing in this area. For example, the San Mateo High School District He has launched a program of ai scholarships to help teachers use ai to create more inclusive learning environments (see the work of teacher Stacy Kratochvil). Meanwhile, a series of interactive web seminars called The requestIt offers educators a practical and support space to explore the tools of ai together. These sessions emphasize the teaching centered on the human being and provide practical orientation on the use of ai in a creative and ethical way in the classroom.

Through this type of collaboration promoted by a purpose, we can provide valuable professional development opportunities for educators while building a future model for culturally competent and improved programs by technology.

A vision for the future

By prioritizing cultural competence and literacy of ai in teacher training programs, we can fundamentally transform the way we prepare educators for the future. The key will be to ensure that these two areas are recognized as interconnected priorities instead of separate objectives.

When equity is in the heart of how we present new technologies in the classrooms, we can build an educational system in which each student feels valued. The steps we take today will have a lasting impact on students and teachers for coming generations.