As the use of artificial intelligence (AI) in classrooms continues to evolve, the U.S. Department of Education has released a guide to assist educators and education leaders in implementing AI in education ethically and fairly.
The toolkit, titled Empowering Education Leaders: A Toolkit for Safe, Ethical, and Equitable AI Integration, expands on the department’s previous report on AI and the future of teaching and learning. It aims to help educational leaders make informed decisions about incorporating AI applications into student learning and the instructional core.
The guide emphasizes the importance of transparency and awareness in the use of AI in schools. It also highlights the significance of allowing students, teachers, and parents the option to opt out of AI-enabled applications in school settings.
The toolkit is structured into 10 modules across three categories:
1. Mitigating Risk: This section focuses on safeguarding student privacy, security, and non-discrimination when implementing AI in schools. It highlights the importance of understanding federal laws and regulations related to AI use in educational settings.
2. Building a Strategy for AI Integration: Educational leaders are encouraged to develop a clear strategy for integrating AI into the instructional core. This involves listening to and informing communities, establishing priorities, and supporting implementation through task forces.
3. Maximizing Opportunity: The final section emphasizes the effective use and evaluation of AI to enhance teaching and student learning. It stresses the importance of developing AI literacy for educators, revising responsible use policies, and creating a system-wide plan for AI integration.
Sari Factor, Imagine Learning’s chief strategy officer, praised the Department of Education’s AI guidance for addressing key priorities in AI integration, such as privacy, equity, and bias mitigation. She emphasized that AI should complement, not replace, the human element in education by empowering teachers, supporting differentiated instruction, and enhancing engagement with students and families.
Factor highlighted the importance of integrating AI tools with high-quality curricula aligned with educational standards. By ensuring that AI is closely tied to learning objectives, schools can create thoughtful and ethical implementations that provide genuine educational value.
In conclusion, the toolkit serves as a valuable resource for educational leaders looking to navigate the complexities of AI integration in classrooms. By following the guidance provided, schools can harness the potential of AI to positively impact learning environments while upholding ethical standards and promoting student success.
