Incorporating Generative AI Three District Perspectives

Presented by Kris Hagel, Krestin Bahr, Jennifer ButlerConference SessionFor WSSDA Conference

Incorporating Generative AI: Three District Perspectives

This presentation, delivered at the WSSDA 2024 Annual Conference on November 23, 2024, by representatives from the Peninsula, Shoreline, and Walla Walla School Districts, provided a comprehensive overview of how these districts are approaching the integration of generative AI in education.

Key Takeaways:

  • Generative AI Defined: The presentation defined generative AI as technology that creates new content (text, images, music, video, code) based on patterns learned from existing data, distinguishing it from traditional AI that focuses on analysis or prediction.
  • Key Considerations for Implementation: The presenters highlighted crucial considerations for responsible AI integration:
    • Data Sources Transparency: Understanding the training data, its recency, and verifiability.
    • Data Contents & Outputs: Addressing biases, harmful stereotypes, misinformation, and copyright issues.
    • Data Privacy & User Consent: Protecting student and staff data, adhering to FERPA, COPPA, and CIPA.
    • Ethical Use & Critical Thinking: Promoting AI as an assistive tool, not a replacement for human thought.
    • Equity & Access: Ensuring equitable access and addressing the digital divide.
    • Environmental Impact: Considering the significant energy and water resources required for AI.
  • Myths, Misconceptions, and Pitfalls: The presentation debunked myths about cheating detection tools and AI taking over jobs, clarified misconceptions about AI being solely machine learning or a search engine, and warned against the pitfalls of free AI tools and the evolving legal landscape.
  • Key Opportunities: The presenters emphasized the potential of generative AI to enhance:
    • Digital Literacy & Future Preparation: Preparing students for a future where AI is prevalent.
    • Personalized Learning: Creating individualized lessons and providing virtual tutors.
    • Access & Inclusion: Supporting diverse learners through audio/video tools and language translation.
    • Staff Workload Management: Streamlining tasks like lesson planning and grading.
    • Innovative Teaching & Learning: Creating engaging learning experiences with virtual tutors and guided journeys.

District-Specific Approaches:

  • Peninsula School District:
    • Focused on professional development, creating guiding principles, and exploring tools like MagicSchool.ai.
    • Emphasized teacher-led innovation and community engagement through American Education Week.
    • Prioritized ethical considerations and student data collection.
    • Future plans include expanding UDL with AI, developing custom AI tools, and adopting an enterprise AI platform (amplifygenai.org).
  • Shoreline Public Schools:
    • Focused on initial discovery, professional development, and policy review.
    • Restricted student access to certain AI tools based on age requirements.
    • Piloted Skill Struck's Chat for Schools and provided scaffolding for staff.
    • Engaged the board through presentations and visits to classrooms using AI.
  • Walla Walla Public Schools:
    • Focused on initial discovery and learning, forming a "ChatGPT Committee," and unblocking ChatGPT for students.
    • Held a two-day EdTech Summit with a keynote on AI and launched a 5-part Generative AI PD series.
    • Partnered with the union for an "All Staff" PD session with an EdTech expert.
    • Future plans include deeper classroom integration, introducing OSPI's 5-Step Scaffolding Scale, and collaborating with College & Career Navigators.

Board Role & Oversight:

The presentation emphasized the board's role in ensuring ethical, educationally sound, financially responsible, and environmentally conscious use of AI. Key questions for boards to consider include:

  • Is AI being used responsibly?
  • How are students and staff being kept safe?
  • How does AI align with district goals and existing laws?
  • Are policy updates or new guidelines needed?
  • What professional development is being provided?

Actionable Insights:

  • Review Existing Policies: Assess how current policies (e.g., academic integrity, digital citizenship, equity) intersect with generative AI.
  • Engage Stakeholders: Initiate discussions with the board, superintendent, staff, students, and families about AI implementation.
  • Provide Professional Development: Support staff in understanding and effectively using generative AI tools.
  • Prioritize Data Privacy and Security: Emphasize the importance of protecting student and staff data, especially with open-source AI tools.
  • Focus on Ethical Use and Critical Thinking: Promote AI as a tool to enhance learning, not replace human thought.
  • Leverage Available Resources: Utilize resources from OSPI, WASA, TeachAI.org, CoSN, and WSSDA.

Looking Ahead:

The presentation underscores the importance of a thoughtful, strategic, and collaborative approach to integrating generative AI in education. By addressing key considerations, leveraging available resources, and engaging all stakeholders, school districts can harness the power of AI to enhance teaching, learning, and operational efficiency while preparing students for the future. The examples from Peninsula, Shoreline, and Walla Walla provide valuable models for other districts to follow.