Funded by the National Science Foundation, the program equips educators with knowledge, tools and support to help students grow in an AI-driven world.
As artificial intelligence changes how people work and learn, Northeastern University has launched a new initiative to help STEM educators bring AI into high school classrooms.
This summer, the Northeast welcomed the first cohort of Massachusetts teachers and administrators to its professional development program, focusing on AI integration in high school education.
Funded by the National Science Foundation, the program equips educators with knowledge, tools and support to help students grow in an AI-driven world.
“When students have a career, they will use it in a variety of ways,” says Matt Costa, director of STEM at Libyan Public Schools. “So, how can you build it thoughtfully?”
But AI in education could be a topic of polarization, according to Kathleen Bateman, program director for science at Boston Latin School.
“When you're having these conversations at schools and districts, everyone assumes there's an agenda that everyone is trying to be either parent or anti-ai,” she says. “It doesn't take a little time to hold your breath and explore the tools.”
That's why Bateman and Costa participated in a Northeast-led program. It aims to provide STEM educators with skills and time to critically engage with AI tools and each other.
“The opportunity allowed us to talk to people from schools and districts of all sizes and talk about how students at all levels of learners, students with differences in learning, and how English can affect students who are not their primary language.
Filling the policy gap in AI education
Northeastern's three-year initiative aims to build a professional learning community for STEM teachers in Massachusetts. The goal is to create a network where educators can exchange ideas, support each other, and advocate for the fair and responsible integration of artificial intelligence in the classroom.
Each summer, around 10 teachers from across the state are chosen to participate. The first cohort to complete training in July included 12 educators. Their experience began with a module on the history and foundations of AI, followed by an intensive week of training and a series of monthly sessions with ongoing content support.
“At the end of the institute this summer, teachers' attitudes changed by 180 degrees,” says Ibrahim Zayd, professor of mechanical engineering in Northeastern.
Zeid applied for NSF funding for the program and led a training session for teachers.
“They've become extremely knowledgeable with AI and rapid engineering, as well as the available AI tools,” he says. “AI programs for educators enable the transition to AI-based pedagogy. K-12 STEM education needs to keep pace with the industries that are competing for large companies to develop and use generative AI tools.”
Despite growing interest in AI, many educators face uncertainty about their classroom use due to inconsistent policies. Claire Daggan, executive director of the STEM Education Center in Northeastern, says the current policy landscape is fragmented.
“There's a wide variety of Massachusetts districts and across districts across the country, in that they have policies and no policies,” says Duggan. “There may be some districts that may have been decided [to use AI]However, individual schools have the freedom to decide whether they are not ready to use [it] and block [it]. ”
Educators are looking for guidance and balance
Today, many teachers and students are often independently exploring AI without formal support.
“I was using AI for a while,” says Paccamas Ton Chacher Encycle, a chemistry teacher at Quincy High School. “Even so, my students know more about AI than I do.”
Without clear policies, teachers will express concerns about plagiarism, ethical use, and which tools are suitable for students. Also, district restrictions vary widely.
Federal laws such as the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act limit access to tools for younger students.
“We will let us know that it is part of a workshop like this, so we can return that information to the district and convince the administrators and supervisors about the power of AI, and we must also ensure that students have access to it as long as they use it in a meaningful and appropriate way.”
During training, educators evaluated AI tools related to STEM subjects, implemented rapid strategies, and developed lesson plans that were consistent with the framework of Massachusetts Science, Technology/Engineering Curriculum. They also discussed how AI can support students with diverse learning needs.
“This week really helped me realize that students have advantages and disadvantages,” says Bateman.
Some teachers like Bateman believe that AI may be best suited to older students who are ready to use responsibly. Others worry about how overuse can undermine the core learning experience.
Participants stressed that AI is not intended to replace teachers, but support them.
“When used correctly, AI has the power to become a more efficient teacher by removing some of the tasks that need to be performed as educators. With that extra time, we can be in front of our students and engage more students,” says Casto.
Heather Giblin, a biology and marine science teacher at Brookline High School, says he has a better understanding of the difference between AI-based education (where educators use AI to enhance their own lesson plans) and AI-powered education.
Human connections still come first
While many AI tools offer promises, educators say the value of face-to-face education remains irreplaceable.
“It's not about content more than personality,” says Adam Sasso, who teaches elective subjects such as video production and robotics at Cohasset High School. “I don't think that on-screen AI will replace the face-to-face contact, the soul, and the love that teachers give to children.”
The teacher also raised concerns about digital equity. Not all students or districts have the same access to the AI platform and may be limited by cost and availability.
“There are some free versions of things, but will that continue?” says Edward Savage, a biology teacher at Kohasset High School.
That's why teachers play an important role in filling the gap in opportunity, says Naher Acosta Broso, a physics teacher at Libya High School.
“In some cases [students] You can see that AI is useful. That way, everyone needs to find the same convenient way,” he says.
Costa also notes that offloads too much education work to AI.
“There's work you can offload to AI to make the job easier, but are you offloading the right work?
He believes that by directly reviewing student work, educators can track progress, give feedback, and strengthen relationships.
Another concern is the potential impact on students' social and communication skills.
“They're also making the most of their physics teacher, Brookline High School,” said Melissa Nixon, physics teacher. “I don't just want to play with them and be messy, but I also know how to talk to each other.”
