The first step is to educate the educators so the educators can educate.
And “getting to know” what artificial intelligence can do is an experience on several different levels, including conversational interaction with apps like ChatGPT and information collection similar to how Google’s AI Mode operates. In many ways, according to Brooke County Schools Superintendent Dr. Jeff Crook, AI already is in use within the district.
“We are utilizing artificial intelligence because AI has been around longer than all of the attention that’s being paid to it now. For example, there is the co-pilot option on Office 365,” he explained. “But we are aware of some of the issues connected to the potential ways that can be used by our students when it comes to their schoolwork. They will need to know as much as possible about artificial intelligence, but part of our job is to teach them how to use it effectively.
“As we move forward, we’ll implement some safeguards,” Crook said. “It’s the same as when technology came into play and continues to update quickly. We do our best to keep ahead of all of the tech, and we’ll do the same with AI.”
Brooke High Principal Eric James also recognizes the importance of teaching about artificial intelligence, but he does not wish for the school system’s students to utilize AI apps as shortcuts for schoolwork.
“I don’t want it to replace learning and the academic integrity of what we do here, but there are a lot of positives with artificial intelligence, too,” said James, now in his third year in Brooke County. “But AI can also tailor content to a student’s individual needs, and I believe it could be utilized with students with disabilities in order to provide them with the things they need most right now.
“From a teacher’s perspective, AI can help with administrative and teacher support, and it can help with organization and scheduling,” he said. “The worst thing we could do is ignore artificial intelligence because it’s going nowhere and our students and educators need to learn it as much as possible.”
Although the topic of artificial intelligence has been discussed for several years, James believes the time to teach AI has finally arrived, and one important lesson will be how to fact check to new programs with the use of simple systems like Google’s search engine.
“I believe we’ll be incorporating AI in most of our classes in the future the same way we continue to adapt to the internet and what it brings us,” James said. “And I do think the accuracy and fairness involved with AI are topics that need to be discussed at length. Ther are concerns about the accuracy, and even the biases when it comes to AI, and that’s uncharted territory.
“It’s imperative that we get a good grasp on it because it’s very new, especially to educators that have been teaching for 25-30 years,” the principal said. “But I do think there’s a place for it, so I am anxious for the guidelines and regulations to be developed and put into place so we can properly embrace AI in the public school sector.”
Learned Lessons
The World Wide Web went mainstream in the early 1990s, but its home and school use exploded between 1995 and 1998, and, for the most part, it was let loose without any warning labels or caution tape.
So, with artificial intelligence, Dr. Crook believes cause and effect should be considered while teaching the basics of artificial intelligence.
“When it came to technology like the internet and our devices, we knew our students would need to get to know how to use the internet to their benefit and how not to get involved with some of the evils that are involved. It took a while, but staying from that side of the online world is really important,” the superintendent insisted. “With AI, we have to make sure we’re using it in the effective ways like helping the kids come to know it instead of using it to replace the kids’ thinking skills.
“But I do believe, just like we did with technology, we have to embrace artificial intelligence,” Crook said. “It’s definitely here to stay.”
That’s why Crook will continue working with the members of Brooke County’s Board of Education on policy development that will define how AI will be utilized within curriculum and instruction.
“We’ve had discussions about our overall direction with artificial intelligence, and that conversation began last year before everyone was talking about it,” he said. “But as far as getting specific, that is something that’s coming in the near future. Once it comes to writing a policy, that’s when we will have to get the legal folks involved.
“We want to get it right for our kids,” the superintendent explained. “It’s about preparing them for the future, and AI is going to be here for the rest of our lives.”
Crook expects the state Department of Education and Superintendent Michelle Blatt will address questions pertaining to the future implementation of AI applications within the Mountain State’s public school systems.
“I do believe we should develop a class on artificial intelligence just like we’ve had classes on Office 365 and other computer programs,” he said. “I’m hoping the folks in Charleston will develop strategies for curriculum in the near future because there are a lot of aspects of AI that our young people need to know about.
“There are a lot of apps out there, too, so it’s time to address it,” Dr. Crook added. “It’s something we’ve tasked Mike Burner with because he’s our technology director and he’ll keep tabs on what the state is doing so we all can stay in front of it and get our kids the education they need for their futures.”
