Note: the above image is an example of AI generated art: Canva Edu, image AI generated, July 17, 2023

As with any emerging technology, AI-generated art comes with its own set of concerns and ethical considerations. Some of the key concerns with AI-generated art include:

• Originality and ownership challenges: Determining authorship and copyright ownership of AI-generated art raises ethical concerns.

• Bias and discrimination: AI-generated art may perpetuate societal biases and stereotypes present in training data, leading to potentially harmful content.

Attention, K-12 teachers! Let's dive into the fascinating world of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and its potential in the classroom. AI, or Artificial Intelligence, is a field that focuses on creating smart machines capable of performing tasks that typically require human intelligence. It's revolutionizing various industries and making our lives easier and more efficient. But what does AI mean for education?

In the classroom, AI tools offer exciting opportunities to enhance teaching and learning. Imagine personalized tutoring and tailored learning content that supports individual student needs, providing guided tutoring and adaptive learning experiences. With AI, we can continue to focus on digital citizenship by exploring the implications of AI, ethical use, and the societal impact it brings, including biases, privacy concerns, and algorithmic fairness. This helps students develop crucial skills in digital and media literacy, while also promoting academic integrity. AI also opens up new horizons for creating new assignment concepts that encourage communication, creativity, critical thinking, collaboration, and curation. Soon we will find AI embedded in popular tools like Microsoft and Google applications, seamlessly enhancing word processing, presentations, and search capabilities.

However, as we embrace the potential of AI, it's important to be mindful of certain concerns. Vendors may have privacy statements with age restrictions for students, and they may not always sign the required student data privacy agreements with school districts. Accessibility, cost-effectiveness, security policy compliance, and age-appropriate content are also factors to consider. It is crucial to ensure that any AI tool aligns with subject-area standards, learning objectives, and the adopted curriculum. Let's embrace the exciting possibilities of AI in education while prioritizing student safety, privacy, and educational goals.

Note: the above paragraph is an example of AI generated writing: OpenAI, personal communication, July 17, 2023

As with any emerging technology, AI-generated writing comes with its own set of concerns and ethical considerations. Some of the key concerns with AI-generated writing include:

• Plagiarism and attribution: AI-generated writing blurs the lines of original authorship and challenges the proper attribution of content.

• Misinformation and bias: AI-generated content may perpetuate misinformation and biases present in the training data, leading to potentially harmful or inaccurate information.

• Lack of human creativity and empathy: AI-generated writing lacks the emotional depth and empathy that human authors bring to their work, potentially resulting in a lack of genuine connection with readers.

• False positives in AI writing detectors: fears students could be falsely accused of cheating, mistaking authentic student work for AI-generated writing.

In place:

• AI select tools are unblocked for staff and teachers, only free versions available

• AI tools are blocked for students

• Student conduct code for cheating and academic integrity

• Web filter blocks on school technology devices and network for websites and applications (including AI) that are not age appropriate, security concerns, do not sign student data privacy agreements, or do not align with subject-area standards 

• Exploring Computer Science course offered in several of our high schools includes curriculum unit on AI

• Enochs High School Software and Systems Development (SSD) Pathway has course on Artificial Intelligence 

Concerns for not approving AI tools in the classroom:

• Various vendor privacy statements have age restrictions for students under 13 and for students under 18 years of age

• Vendor may not be signing the required student data privacy agreements with school districts

• Vendor may not be an accessible tool, cost effective, comply with security policies, or content not age appropriate

• Vendor does not align with subject-area standards, learning objectives, and adopted curriculum

Potential of AI tools in the classroom:

• Tutoring and learning content: support learning needs and guided tutoring

• Digital Citizenship: lessons for students to learn implications of AI, ethical use of AI, academic integrity, digital and media literacy, and societal impact of AI including biases, privacy concerns, and algorithmic fairness

• New assignment concepts: using AI that encourages communication, creativity, critical thinking, collaboration, and curation

• Embedded: built into our tools such as Microsoft and Google word processing,  presentation, and searching applications