Amanda Bickerstaff’s Post

Excited to share insights from a compelling study I recently dove into: "Exploring the Lived Experiences of Teachers Implementing or Preparing to Implement Artificial Intelligence at K-12 Schools" by Nneka J. McGee. A huge shoutout to Nneka for her groundbreaking work! 🌟🚀 At Voicee, the #AI Literacy Platform for Educators, we've been closely examining the integration of AI in education. Our findings resonate deeply with the observations highlighted by Nneka. Here's what stands out: ✨ Increased Student Engagement: The study reveals classrooms infused with AI technologies see heightened student engagement compared to traditional settings. This is a pivotal insight for educators aiming to captivate and inspire our learners. 🕒 Reduced Time Constraints: Teachers leveraging AI tools find themselves less bogged down by time constraints, paving the way for more efficient task completion and enriched teaching experiences. 📚 Need for #Professional #Development: A significant gap in professional development opportunities for AI education is evident, especially in certain school districts. It underscores the necessity for targeted investment in professional development programs. These insights not only underline the transformative potential of AI in education but also highlight the urgent need for preparedness among educators to harness this potential fully. 💡 At Voicee, we're passionate about empowering educators with the tools and knowledge to navigate this AI-centric educational landscape. If you're interested in discussing how we can collaborate to enhance AI literacy and implementation in schools, I’d love to connect and explore possibilities together! Here is the link to the study: https://lnkd.in/dBYC4rGJ #AIinEducation #TeacherEngagement #ProfessionalDevelopment #GenerationAlpha #EducationalTechnology #Voicee

Couldn’t agree more. AI literacy for teachers should start now if we want as educators to be able to inspire and help our students and ourselves. School based initiatives are welcome yet not enough. A nation-wide approach is necessary if we want to avoid inequalities.

AI literacy is essential for teachers. That’s why we’ve partnered with the Federation of American Scientists in their policy sprint calling for Congress to "Establish a National Teacher AI Literacy Development Program." As AI reshapes our world, it's vital we equip educators to prepare students for a rapidly transformed future. Our proposal calls for: • Comprehensive national AI literacy standards for K-12 teachers • A centralized hub of AI literacy resources • Grants to support AI training for pre-service and in-service teachers • Regular assessments of educator AI literacy • Nationwide awareness campaigns on AI in education Our goal for this initiative is to build the necessary foundation for teachers, leaders, and schools to not only be able to keep up with GenAI, but actively harness AI to enhance teaching and learning. Our educations system must ensure that students from all backgrounds gain the tech skills they need to thrive and to step into AI-augmented careers with confidence. Read the full proposal linked in the comments and let us know your thoughts! Special thanks to the AI for Education team: Amanda DePriest and Corey Layne Crouch. #AIforEducation #TeacherTraining #EdTech #AILiteracy #EducationPolicy

🌟 **Back to Campus: A Call for AI Integration in Education** 🌟 Today marked the first day back on campus after a brief but refreshing summer break. However, as the day unfolded, I found myself astounded and deeply concerned by the stark reality facing our educational system. Despite the advancements in technology and the undeniable benefits of AI, our district, administration, and teaching practices remain firmly rooted in outdated methods. The absence of AI integration for both teachers and students is a glaring oversight that can no longer be ignored. As an educator entering my eighth year, I am disheartened to see the same struggles and solutions being rehashed without any significant progress. We have a golden opportunity to revolutionize education by embracing AI as a vital tool. AI can simplify administrative tasks, enhance teaching methods, and provide students with a more engaging, rigorous, and purpose-driven educational experience. It's time for us to take bold steps towards modernizing our classrooms. Let's champion the integration of AI to empower both teachers and students, making education more valuable and impactful. Join me in advocating for this necessary transformation. Together, we can pave the way for a future where education is not just about surviving but thriving. 🔗 **Call to Action:** Let's connect and collaborate on integrating AI into our educational systems. Share your thoughts and experiences, and let's drive change for a brighter, more innovative future in education. #AIinEducation #EdTech #FutureOfLearning #EducationReform #InnovationInEducation #TeachingWithAI

What does the future of education look like with Artificial Intelligence (AI) on the rise? This is a question that Steve Popper, our Chief Academic Officer, and Stanley Buchesky, the Chief Executive Officer of pi-top, explore in one of their latest podcasts. Watch now to learn how Democracy Prep is not only reacting to technological advancements like AI but is also proactively leveraging them to enhance educational delivery, engage with families, and prepare students for a world where AI is ubiquitous.

This past spring I was invited to participate in the Center on Reinventing Public Education's AI Learning Forum. AI raises a host of questions and issues for all of us - in K12 and higher education, some good some not so much. Readers of my blog will know that I have spent quite a lot of my time and energy on these issues over the past couple of years. I really enjoyed meeting and spending a couple of days, at this forum, with a bunch of smart people, learning and talking, exploring the possibilities, challenges of generative AI. CRPE has taken these conversations and crafted a report title: Wicked Opportunities: Leveraging AI to Transform Education. The report takes a balanced view on how AI can address “wicked problems” like achievement gaps and teacher shortages, but not shying away from the challenges that of  bridging existing disparities and aligning edtech developments with student needs. In brief, the report recommends: Convene and connect cross-sector leaders to strengthen AI literacy in support of education. Seed a national education leadership strategy. Focus on the “art of the possible” to spread powerful ideas for transforming education in the age of AI. Catalyze investment in research and development for early-stage AI adoptions, innovations, and collaborations. You can read more about our takeaways and action plan for leaders in the field.  https://bit.ly/3WviNWe   #AI #Education #CRPEForum #EdTech #Innovation

ICYMI: We just released our latest report on the takeaways from our AI convening this spring. The long and short of it: leaders in education, edtech, and policy need to act now to ensure that the inevitability of AI doesn't widen equity gaps even further. Thanks Punya Mishra for sharing!

DenAI Summit I am thankful to have shared the stage with transformative leaders Adeel Khan, Rebecca Holmes, and Bijal Shah during our AI in Education session yesterday at the inaugural DenAI Summit. Big shout-out to the organizers and participants for creating a welcoming and empowering space for meaningful discourse. Our collective message emphasizes the importance of heightening student voices, cross-functional collaboration, and transforming education. Below is a summary of key takeaways: 1. Transformational Approach to AI in Education: The Colorado Education Initiative focused on developing a state roadmap emphasizing AI's transformational power in teaching and learning rather than just regulatory concerns. 2. Bridging Cultural and Academic Gaps: Aurora Public Schools leveraged AI tools like MagicSchool AI School to create translated materials and improve communication with multilingual families, fostering a greater sense of belonging and improving academic performance. 3. Augmenting Teacher Capabilities: MagicSchool AI School provides practical AI-powered tools that assist teachers, such as giving students writing feedback, without replacing the teacher's role. 4. Addressing Community Concerns: Challenges in AI adoption include managing teacher change, addressing community data privacy concerns, and demonstrating effective communication and empathy in developing AI solutions. 5. Student Engagement and Innovation: Schools actively involve students in exploring AI for social good, empowering them to identify problems and use AI to develop creative solutions for their schools and communities.

Exciting News: Integrating AI in Higher Education 🎓🤖 I'm pleased to announce that I've been awarded a Lone Star mini-grant to incorporate AI technology into our Behavioral Intervention Team (BIT) process. This initiative aims to enhance our student support systems and develop innovative training materials for faculty and staff. A recent Hopelab report revealed an intriguing insight: 41% of young respondents believe AI will have both positive and negative impacts on their lives in the next decade. This nuanced perspective underscores the importance of our project. Our objectives with this grant are threefold: 1. Enhance the BIT process using AI to ensure equitable support for all students 2. Develop AI-powered training resources to assist faculty in identifying students who may need additional support 3. Demonstrate practical and ethical applications of AI in educational settings By embracing AI's potential while addressing its challenges, we're not only improving our support systems but also preparing our students for a future where AI literacy and ethical considerations are paramount. I'm looking forward to leading this initiative and showcasing how AI can be responsibly and effectively utilized in higher education to foster student success. Your thoughts on AI in education are welcome. I invite you to share your perspectives in the comments. #AIinEducation #HigherEd #StudentSupport #TechInnovation #AIEthics For more information, please refer to the full Hopelab report: https://lnkd.in/gTrUfvpf

✅ Key takeaways from a webinar on 'Early Childhood Workforce: Where and How AI Can Support' by Campaign for Grade-Level Reading 💡 EQUALIZER EFFECT "The early research on the use of generative AI tools...suggests that those children who are underperforming the most are gaining the most from access to this technology.” - Isabelle Hau, Stanford Institute for Human-Centered Artificial Intelligence (HAI). 🌟 SUPPORTING THE ECE WORKFORCE With burnout and high turnover rates, AI offers substantial support by aiding data management and lesson planning, allowing educators to focus on what matters most—direct interactions with children. Michelle Kang of National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) highlighted the potential of AI in alleviating administrative burdens. 🎨 PERSONALIZED LEARNING "AI can provide the sketch, but we as human beings have to provide the color," says Michelle Kang. Personalized learning experiences through AI help engage students and cater to their unique learning styles. Dana Clarkson shared how AI tools at Design39Campus helped students write and perform music lyrics, integrating their interests with educational standards. 🔑 EQUITY & ACCESS To avoid exacerbating existing inequities, AI tools must be accessible to all. Ensuring thoughtful implementation and ongoing support is crucial for effective and equitable use. Celia Stokes of Teaching Strategies, LLC Strategies and Michelle Kang emphasized the need to proceed with caution, always keeping equity in mind. 🏆 SUSTAINABILITY Investing in AI technologies can make the teaching profession more sustainable and inclusive, aiding in teacher recruitment and retention. Jay Lee, an early learning educator from Oakland, stressed the importance of making the pathway to becoming a certified teacher more accessible and inclusive. 👨👩👧👦 FAMILY ENGAGEMENT: Parents are recognizing AI as a powerful tool for personalized learning and individualized attention. Keri Rodrigues of the National Parents Union noted that 67% of American families believe AI's potential benefits outweigh the negatives, helping them support their children's education with data-informed insights. Let’s harness the power of AI to transform early childhood education! 🌐📚✨ #LearningExperienceDesign #lxd #EdTech #AIinEducation #EarlyChildhoodEducation #EquityInEd