OTTAWA COUNTY, MI — West Ottawa High School is pioneering artificial intelligence education with a new AI Fundamentals course that teaches students how to use and critically evaluate AI tools responsibly.
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This semester-long course is just the second time the district has offered the innovative program.
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“We had a high demand for it,” said Todd Talgestke, assistant superintendent for innovation and 6/12 education. “When we talk about the literacy skills of reading, writing, speaking, and listening, AI is like the next, fifth literacy skill that we need to teach students how to use in an ethical, responsible, and effective way.”
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The class is co-taught by teachers Josie Chaney and Shanna Meyer and covers concepts such as creating accurate prompts, evaluating output, and the importance of keeping humans in the loop.
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The curriculum also emphasizes critical thinking, especially regarding the limits of AI and the potential for misinformation.
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“We want to talk about the reality of what AI looks like in the real world,” Meyer explained. “And how easily someone can get the wrong idea about these deepfakes, and how scary that part of the AI world can be.”
Senior Liliana Gitler has already experienced first-hand the fallibility of AI.
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“I think my biggest takeaway is that it’s not always right and it actually gets a lot of things wrong, so it’s really important to check the facts,” Gitler said.
Despite these limitations, students are finding practical applications for AI in their studies.
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Student Lukas Woudwyk is integrating AI into his daily work.
“There are many ways to use it. For example, instead of searching for something on Google, you can ask ChatGPT on your phone a question,” Woudwyk said.
Gitler uses AI as a tutoring tool in his online classes, and senior Leah DeSanctis is excited to advance her career.
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“I want to be an elementary school teacher in the future, so I think I’m using this to create creative and personalized lesson plans for all students’ learning types,” DeSanctis said. “I think today, if you don’t have knowledge about AI and how to use it, you’re considered a little bit behind the curve.”
Teachers emphasize that AI tools complement, rather than replace, human knowledge and creativity.
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Upon completing the course, students receive credit in both Mathematics and English.
“I definitely think it’s a great resource because I think if used correctly, it can help a lot of different things,” Woodwick said. “That’s going to be the kind of trait that a lot of people want and need.”
District leaders see the course as preparing students for success after graduation.
“It’s going to be an evolving and ever-changing class, but we’re excited about the skills our students will develop,” Turgestke said. “They will be much further along in their college and career journeys than students who did not take this course.”
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As technology continues to reshape education and the workforce, the district is already exploring ways to expand AI integration to other grade levels.
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