The U.S. Department of Education has released new resources aimed at helping schools effectively navigate the challenges posed by artificial intelligence (AI). The resources include critical recommendations regarding the use of AI detection tools, which may inadvertently categorize students as plagiarists, as well as strategies to enhance educators’ AI literacy.
This development comes at a time when educators face significant uncertainty about how to engage with AI technology. While surveys reveal that many teachers are wary of incorporating AI into their classrooms, the use of AI tools is on the rise among students. A recent survey by Common Sense Media indicated that half of teens have engaged with AI text generators, 34% with image generators, and 22% with video generators.
The resources provided by the Department of Education delineate both the hazards associated with AI and its potential advantages for K-12 education.
While several states are developing AI guidelines for educational institutions, Pat Yongpradit, Chief Academic Officer at Code.org and a leader within the TeachAI initiative, emphasized the necessity for broader federal guidelines. He stated, ‘We really need to move beyond AI is bad [or] AI is good, and get super nuanced about the proper and improper uses of AI in education.’
The Department’s Office for Civil Rights recently published a report focusing on how AI could potentially violate the rights of protected student groups. It outlines various situations that could instigate investigations into the use of AI in schools:
- A teacher employing AI detection tools that have a higher false-positive rate for English learners, leading to unfair accusations of cheating.
- School administrators failing to adequately respond to reports of students creating inappropriate deepfake images.
- A school prioritizing male teams in scheduling, thereby disadvantaging female student-athletes.
- An AI tool misidentifying Black students through flawed facial recognition technology.
These situations underscore the importance of maintaining human oversight when implementing AI in educational settings.
The second report from the Office of Educational Technology includes practical guides for leaders on integrating AI responsibly. This toolkit, developed with contributions from a group of educators, comprises eight modules covering themes such as AI risk mitigation and strategies for integrating AI into instruction.
Yongpradit suggested that school leaders utilize these resources to ignite discussions during faculty meetings. He noted, ‘The toolkit is more directive—the modules are set up as book club readings or practical activities that teachers can do.’
