The Wayne K-12 district is taking a forward-thinking approach to bring artificial intelligence (AI) into our classrooms. This effort is just one of the six major goals set by the Board of Education for this school year. We’re excited about how AI can enhance learning and make teaching more efficient.
School leaders are actively looking into how AI can be applied in our schools. They’ve set up two committees to dive into the role of generative AI, and soon, the Board of Education will review a formal policy on this. Last fall, we asked teachers what they thought about AI, and most were enthusiastic about its potential to improve how we gather educational resources. However, there are understandable worries about how AI might affect academic honesty and creativity.
Assistant Superintendent Lauren Kazmark shared these findings with the school board and mentioned that we’re planning discussions in faculty meetings and a professional development workshop in April. A report from the Center on Reinventing Public Education in May showed that 18% of teachers across the country are using AI regularly, and another 15% have tried it out. Researchers at Arizona State University found that virtual learning tools like Google Classroom and i-Ready are the most common AI applications. Half of the teachers using AI have tried chatbots like ChatGPT, while fewer have explored tutoring tools like Khanmigo.
Developing a comprehensive AI policy is part of the district’s bigger goals, which also include creating a support program for parents of students with special needs and expanding The Gathering Spot at the Early Childhood Center at Preakness School. We’re also doing a tech inventory to help plan for new laptops for students and staff in the long run.
