How can AI be used in the classroom? Massachusetts schools are working to identify the benefits
The use of artificial intelligence is the next great generational divide in learning, and schools in Massachusetts are figuring out different ways to incorporate it in the classroom.
"This technology is being adapted faster than any other technology we've ever seen," said the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) Commissioner Pedro Martinez. "We don't want our teachers, we don't want our parents to be afraid of this technology. What we're doing right now in the agency is really providing the guidance as well as training resources."
Working to find AI's potential for schools
Martinez began as DESE commissioner on July 1. He's now overseeing the agency's multi-year roadmap on AI, confronting and harnessing its potential.
"As an agency, we have a responsibility of providing those trainings, those support systems. Helping [school] boards, school committees to set up the right policies to think about, also what the right guardrails are, do an assessment of their technology infrastructure," said Martinez.
Many school districts have already adopted their own protocols and standards. Dr. Anna Nolin, Superintendent of Newton Public Schools, has been following AI development for years.
"It's just another set of tools"
"My entire job is to help teachers expand their reach to personalize instruction for kids," said Nolin. "Really, if you embrace it, it's just another set of tools, another landscape where we can execute those very human skills."
Newton's assistant superintendent, Dr. Gene Roundtree, is responsible for implementing the strategy.
"It's on us to really identify and develop cognitively demanding instructional tasks that require them [students] to use their human ingenuity, their human expertise," said Roundtree. "Rather than create systems that are designed to catch kids who are using this as shortcuts, we really want to be very strategic about teaching the why and the how."
Roundtree pointed to using AI to develop critical thinking skills by having it source a wealth of information for students to analyze. They also discussed using it to generate ideas like a brainstorming partner and to create graphics or illustrations on certain assignments. The main goal is to avoid having AI "do the work" by writing essays and replace learning.
The underlying theme of all this is that, like the calculator or personal computer, AI education is about integration now to prepare for the future.
"AI isn't going to replace people, but people who are able to understand and utilize AI may have opportunities that other people don't," said Roundtree.