COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) — Academy School District 20 is trying to get ahead of artificial intelligence. While there are many opportunities to improve student education and take some of the workload off teachers, the district is approaching this new territory with caution.
The Academy School District 20 parking lot is full ahead of the 2024-25 school year. Some of the staff in the building are part of the district’s Technology Advisory Committee, also known as DTAC. It is made up of parents, teachers, district leaders, community members and students. 60 innovative thinkers have split into four groups to take on artificial intelligence head-on. The group is designed to explore four different pillars of artificial intelligence in education. These focus on artificial intelligence literacy, professional learning, ethical considerations and policy integration.
Currently, some teachers are using AI to create their lesson plans.
“You can enter what grade level you’re teaching, what subject standards apply, and then some specific things you want your students to know. It will then create a lesson plan for them to go through,” explains Lori Hartman, director of Digital Integration Services.
Teachers then decide what they want to use from the AI-generated plan. It is part of what they will teach in the AI Literacy and Ethics area.
“How can students know that there is bias in AI and how can they recognize it? And they need to know that AI is not a substitute for critical thinking or problem solving,” Hartman said.
The group developed recommendations that are now on the superintendent’s desk. If adopted, the next step will be for teachers and technology teams to identify resources for students and implement them in their classrooms in the fall.
To protect students, the district announced that filters will be installed on students’ devices.
“We need to make sure that the terms of service are appropriate for the age group. That’s why we have put in place many protections for students and to protect their data,” Hartman said.
