Yesterday I received the latest newsletter from Upper Middle School via email. When I saw “Preparing SMS Students for the Future: Exploring Artificial Intelligence in Education,” my attention was at the top.
The newsletter explains that staff are learning how to use AI technology responsibly and ethically in classroom settings. Students are learning guidelines for using AI in the classroom. These guidelines include responsible use, digital citizenship, and specific academic guidelines.
Later this month, students will begin using Google Gemini during guided class lessons. A teacher guides the class to help students understand how to properly use AI.
Students around the world are already using AI. I support schools’ decisions to teach children how to use AI responsibly. It won’t go away and can be useful for brainstorming and critical thinking.
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As adults in the workplace, we use AI every day for a variety of tasks. To remain competitive in the world, learning and workflows must adapt to leverage AI. Like it or not, we already opened Pandora’s box with AI years ago and there is no going back.
Students should at least have the opportunity to learn how to use it responsibly. We hope that AI will help students learn and not cause cognitive decline in adolescents. NPR just published an article on January 14 about how AI is a “serious threat to students’ cognitive development.”
As a parent of a middle school student, I will pay more attention to my students’ homework and the use of AI.
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Gallery credit: Joni Sweet
