As educators, it can feel like a new AI tool is introduced daily and there is pressure to use new tools just to keep up with the times. What if, instead, we looked at piloting AI in education based on ethical considerations and our students’ needs? AI has potential to support student learning, educator development, and more – but a thoughtful approach is critical.

How can schools effectively evaluate the potential impact of new technology without negatively affecting teachers or students? How can we ensure AI is being used to complement and support teachers rather than replace them or add to their workload? How can we confront the drawbacks of AI, such as bias in responses? Here are five steps to help schools pilot AI and other tech tools with purpose and responsibility.

1. Identify How Piloting AI Can Address the Problem

Teachers already have more than enough to do, so asking them to adopt any new technology or idea just for the sake of seeming cutting edge is simply not the best use of their time.

The first step is naming the reason you are considering piloting a new innovation in the first place. What is the problem you are trying to solve and why is that problem important? Once you answer those two questions, you can move on to exploring how a new technology or idea might help address this challenge.

RECOMMENDATION FOR CLASSROOM USE: Review qualitative and quantitative data such as student work, classroom observation trends, student surveys or interviews, and assessment or rubric scores to analyze the strengths and needs in your class. Where are students succeeding and having a positive experience? Where are students struggling more? Is there a support need that piloting AI in education could meet or a barrier it could remove?

For example, imagine you are a middle school science teacher and you notice that, although your students can follow the steps in a given lab, they struggle with designing lab questions and procedures themselves. You might explore PhET simulations given their open-ended nature, the ability for students to choose and control different variables, and the associated teacher resources available to you.

Read the full article about piloting AI in education by Alice Waldron at Getting Smart.