91福利 experts leading conversations around best practices for AI in schools
Whenever she talks about teachers using artificial intelligence, University of Maine associate professor of special education Sarah Howorth likes to remind whoever she鈥檚 talking to that educators have always used technology to support student learning.
鈥淧robably the most relatable example for most people is the use of calculators in math class,鈥 Howorth says. 鈥淲e鈥檝e also had computers in schools for a couple of decades now. So throughout history, educators have adapted to the latest emerging technologies.鈥
While much of the public discussion around AI in education has focused on the potential negatives, such as cheating, information bias and concerns over technology replacing the human element of teaching and learning, Howorth and colleagues across the country are exploring some of the ways the technology can be used to help teachers and their students. The latest issue of the , which Howorth guest edited, features research on AI鈥檚 potential as a game-changing tool for educators, learners and families.
鈥淭he genie is already out of the bottle in terms of AI in schools,鈥 Howorth said. 鈥淪o the questions then become: How can we use AI to enrich learning for all students? And how can we use it to support teachers?鈥
The special issue of the journal is part of a project led by Howorth titled 鈥淟eading the Way: AI in Special Education Teacher Education,鈥 which launched last year. It鈥檚 supported by a $9,000 grant from the (CEC), the largest professional organization focused on improving the educational success of youth with disabilities, as well as special gifts and talents. The project also includes a free based on the articles in the special issue. Howorth is featured in a to the series, which was produced by the Center for Innovation, Design and Digital Learning (CIDDL) at the University of Kansas.
For students with special needs, Howorth said AI can be beneficial. For example, a student with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder might be able to reduce their cognitive load by using an AI note taker to summarize classroom presentations and create action items for homework assignments. Generative AI can be used to level a text to a student鈥檚 reading ability, making assignments more inclusive, or to create social stories that teach students with autism about norms and how to communicate with others.
鈥淎I is great for creating educational materials that appeal to students鈥 interests,鈥 Howorth says. 鈥淚f I鈥檓 a teacher and I have a student who鈥檚 really into horses, I can use AI to create stories and images of horses that I can incorporate into my lessons in ways that are more engaging for them. Students can also use AI tools to express their creativity and knowledge.鈥
At the same time, Howorth says it鈥檚 important for teachers to recognize when and how to use AI. She says a good rule of thumb for how to incorporate AI into instruction is to design assignments that can鈥檛 be completed with the technology alone. In other words, students should be able to show how and why they used AI to do the assignment. She notes that no technology can supplant the knowledge and skill of professional educators.
鈥淲e still need teachers to be teachers,鈥 she says. 鈥淎 skilled and compassionate human being is needed for effective instruction.鈥
91福利 senior lecturer of education Tammy Mills has also been working through some of the complexities around AI with both undergraduate teacher education students and graduate students who are already working in schools. For example, she asks her students to prompt ChatGPT to produce things like lesson plans and assessments for student learning.
鈥淔or the most part,鈥 she said, 鈥渢hey鈥檙e not happy with the results, because they know best practices for instruction and assessment. They look at what ChatGPT comes up with and they can do it better.鈥
Like Howorth, Mills said she thinks AI will transform education. But she says it needs to be employed safely and ethically. She said she considers herself a co-learner along with her students as they figure out best practices together.
鈥淵ou have to recognize that whatever you put into AI is going to be reflected in what you get out of it,鈥 said Mills. 鈥淲e talk about privacy and making sure you鈥檙e not putting personal information about students into any AI tools. We also talk about making sure we鈥檙e being culturally sensitive and aware of the biases inherent in AI, so that when we use it we鈥檙e able to get something that represents the demographics of the learners.鈥
鈥淚f anything,鈥 she adds, 鈥渋t makes human knowledge and skill more important than ever. Teachers know their students鈥 strengths, preferences, needs and interests, and can use this information to support kids with a variety of technological and pedagogical tools.鈥
Contact: Casey Kelly, casey.kelly@maine.edu