Overview
The Teach AI initiative, in partnership with education leaders and technology experts worldwide, is leading efforts to address the uncertainties of artificial intelligence in classrooms. Since 2023, Teach AI has been organizing with nonprofits, education authorities, researchers, associations, non-governmental organizations and technology companies to direct the implementation of AI in education. Leading experts on the future of AI in Education call for the simultaneous expansion of teacher capacity building to address rising concerns associated with digital literacy, data security and ethics of AI in public classrooms. There is a consensus on the value and promise of AI in classrooms to assist and enhance teaching practice, while warning about the potential for AI tools and systems taking a leading role in schools shaping and directing student learning and interaction. Strategic multi-stakeholder collaboration between education AI researchers, developers and practitioners are needed to inform the design, implementation, ethics and policies that will guide the future of AI in the classroom.
Teach AI Initiative Goals
- Policy: Adoption of national and local policies to support teaching with and about AI
- Capacity: Increased capacity of educators to teach with and about AI
- Community: Leaders amplifying and implementing effective and responsible approaches to AI
- Awareness: Shared vision and language for AI in education for policy, education and industry leaders
Policy Implications
AI-in-education experts support investment in ethical and critical teacher professional development and collaboration with technology experts and policymakers to enhance the appropriate and effective uses and implementation of AI tools in schools. Opportunities to collaboratively and critically dialogue on the future of AI in classrooms can empower communities of practice to acknowledge and address AI's societal and ethical implications to protect student safety, respect privacy rights and address issues of bias and misinformation. This collaborative approach to AI implementation can promote inclusive, ethical and culturally responsive approaches to pedagogy that are sustainable and transformative.
Public Forums and Professional Development Initiatives
National universities, school districts, and local organizations are moving quickly to provide education stakeholders opportunities to get informed, participate and voice their AI questions and concerns. An exemplar of educator lead organizing for teacher professional development initiatives is the Anaheim Union High School District (AUHSD) National K12 Deeper Learning Summit 2024. The AUHSD provides access to a wealth of resources available online produced for the summit attendees. Teacher from around the nations can gather and negotiate AI tools and strategies that can help inform developers and policymakers on the expansion of AI in education.
The Forum on the Future of AI Education
On November 14, 2024, teachers, school leaders, policymakers, students and leading experts from the state of Illinois met to discuss the future of AI in education to explore future uses, challenges, opportunities, ethics and policies. The Forum concluded with policy implications for K12 education, the University of Illinois and Illinois State Board of Education.
Key Takeaways
- Culturally relevant and responsive applications of AI tools for multilingual classrooms
- Establish research practice partnerships between teachers and developers to inform appropriate AI tool design and implementation
- A policy framework that is preventive and not responsive to issues of equity
- Develop AI for enhancing human soft skills such as communication, collaboration and empathy
References
Lane, C., Zhu, X., Means, T., & Tanchuk, N. (2024, Novembro 14). The Forum on the Future of AI in Education [Conference Panel]. The Forum on the Future of Public Education 2024 Conference, Champaign-Urbana, IL, United States. https://forum.illinois.edu/
TeachAI (2025). Empowering Educators to Teach With and About AI. Retrieved from https://teachai.org/ [December 15, 2024].
World Economic Forum. (2024, April). Prepare for the future: Policy ideas for AI in education. Retrieved from https://www.weforum.org/stories/2024/04/prepare-future-policy-ideas-ai-in-education/ [December 15, 2024]