By Dr. Shawn Bishop, Associate Executive Director, MASA
In the rapidly evolving landscape of education, artificial intelligence (AI) stands out as a transformative force. AI is often referred to as a “tool,” yet this term fails to capture the true scope of AI. AI represents a technological revolution more akin to the advent of electricity, the printing press, and the internet. Just as electricity is now an integral part of daily life, AI is set to become woven into the fabric of education and leadership. This article explores the practical steps district leaders can take to effectively implement AI in their schools.
Understanding AI in Education
AI in education is not just about automating tasks; it’s about augmenting the capabilities of educators and administrators and ultimately producing students that are world ready. From personalized learning experiences to data-driven decision-making, AI tools can help educators tailor instruction to meet individual student needs and improve overall educational outcomes, but that is just one area of impact. AI will impact everything from transportation of students to scheduling and counseling. Though the classroom remains the central focus, every layer of our organizations – whether it be athletics, the arts, or buildings and grounds – will be impacted by AI.
In addition to organizational layers such as athletics, buildings and grounds, transportation, and food service, AI’s impact directly on students is multifaceted. This includes AI’s role in material/resources acquisition and lesson designs from instructors. It also includes students working directly with AI tools, the assessment of students, instructional design and changes based on AI insights, and even teacher evaluation. The potential applications and benefits of AI in education are virtually endless, promising to transform every corner of our educational institutions. Thinking 10,000 foot view for a moment, AI tools such as Claude, Gemini, and ChatGPT can already serve as thought partners in summarizing, refining, and making suggestions for school improvement and district improvement.
As just one example, even though we are in many ways in the infancy of AI, we can already show school leaders how AI software like ChatGPT can take K-5 math Power Standards documents and look at them for gaps in instruction practices and find unnecessary overlaps. We did this for a district this fall and it started a dialogue about multiplication and fraction work across the grade levels. It was a rich dialogue that cut through personal bias and brought into the light thought provoking conversation and positive change. The bottom line is it impacted positively the learning of our children.
Current tools like Magic School, Diffit, and others can provide teachers with curriculum resources, aid in developing lesson plans, provide rubrics for scoring, and much more. Khanmigo and Amira provide glimpses of the future of learning in an AI world. These tools demonstrate how AI can provide adaptive direct instruction given directly to students in real time. Can you imagine what the next generation of these tools will bring as things become more refined?
Some have said that education is in need of reform and accused education of being slow to change, even stuck in old habits. Whether this is true or exaggerated can be debated, yet regardless of where you stand, there can be common agreement that AI may just be the “Inflection Point” in P-12 education that forces changes.
To effectively navigate these changes, district leaders can look to strategic frameworks to guide their implementation efforts. Many of the best change processes we’ve traditionally used can easily be used to help in the implementation of AI. We already know the best practices in how to implement change and can use these. Though there are many you could look to, one such framework is Kotter’s change model, which emphasizes creating a sense of urgency, building a guiding coalition, and generating short-term wins, among other steps. The following is a simplified version of district implementation concepts related to AI.
Steps for AI Implementation
1. Vision and Strategy:
- Begin by establishing a clear vision for AI integration in your district. Involve community members, educators, and students in creating a shared vision that aligns with your district’s goals and values.
- Develop a “Guiding AI Coalition”. School leaders should highly consider forming a group that will provide insight and help ensure alignment of all AI related efforts. This “Coalition” should be made up of a variety of stakeholders and meet frequently and communicate often. (for more information about this key group please contact me)
2. Professional Development:
- Invest in ongoing professional development to ensure educators are equipped with the knowledge and skills to effectively use AI tools. Encourage a culture of continuous learning and innovation.
3. Data Privacy and Ethics:
- Address data privacy and ethical considerations by establishing robust policies and practices. Ensure transparency in how data is collected, used, and protected.
4. Pilot Programs:
- Start with pilot programs to test AI tools in real-world settings. Gather feedback from educators and students to refine and scale successful initiatives
5. Collaboration and Support:
- Foster collaboration among educators, administrators, and IT staff. Provide ongoing support and resources to address challenges and ensure successful implementation.
It’s Important to note that this cursory overview plays out differently in each setting. The community and culture around each building and each district provides a context that can’t be and shouldn’t be ignored. After all, context matters. If you are interested in a deeper more specific look at how district or building AI implementation could work or if you simply would like to dialogue about AI within schools please know that I’m here. Ultimately, like the vast majority of my colleagues, I became an educator because I believed positively impacting a child’s life was worth dedicating my life towards, if conversation about AI can provide a means toward that end, then count me in.
Conclusion
AI has the potential to revolutionize education, but its success depends on thoughtful implementation and a commitment to continuous improvement. By recognizing AI’s ability to be a change inflection point, a leader can embrace AI technologies while fostering a culture of innovation, district leaders can create a more personalized, efficient, and impactful educational experience for all students.
As we move beyond ChatGPT, let’s harness the full potential of AI to empower educators and transform learning.