After a crazy few years of leadership through a pandemic and its immediate recovery, the vibe we're getting this back to school season is simply "normal." That was the report at least from almost all of our members of the AWSP Board Executive Committee when we met earlier this week. What's not normal is the way AI has infiltrated so much of our lives, especially for those of us in education. I've got a few things to share with you to help navigate through these undiscovered waters. 

The Big Insight

After initial ban, ChatGPT and AI are finally cool for school. And OpenAI releases an AI guide for teachers.

From Zain Kahn's Superhuman Newsletter:

Schools and educators are making a big U-turn on ChatGPT and AI tools in the classroom. After banning ChatGPT earlier in the year, many school districts are revoking the ban and adapting to the reality that AI is here to stay.

Over 70% of teachers believe that it is at least somewhat important to teach students how to use AI tools, according to a recent EdWeek survey.

Capitalizing on the trend of increasing academic acceptance, OpenAI released a Teaching with AI guide for teachers last week. In the guide, OpenAI says that teachers are using ChatGPT for:

• Role playing challenging conversations
• Building quizzes, tests, and lesson plans from curriculum materials
• Reducing friction for non-English speakers
• Teaching students about critical thinking

The guide also includes prompts to help teachers with lesson planning, helping students, creating an AI tutor, and more.

You can see the full list of prompts here.

If you’re a parent or a student looking to get started with AI, here’s a handy guide to help you get up and running.

Learn more about Zain and the Superhuman Newsletter.

Peninsula School District: Principles and Beliefs About Artificial Intelligence

If you're looking for some policy examples and district-level statements, the Peninsula School District has a great page about their principles and beliefs. The whole thing is worth reading, but here's a great excerpt.

Example Classroom Policy

In our class, I encourage you to use Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools such as ChatGPT, Google Bard, Claude, Canva, Midjourney, and others. Some of our activities and projects will even require these tools. Understanding and using AI is a new and essential skill, and I will provide lessons and help using these tools.

Some of our activities and projects will even require these tools. However, you must understand a few things about using AI, particularly generative tools like ChatGPT:

• Effort matters. If you don't take the time to think through and carefully write your prompts to the AI, you may not get excellent results. It will require practice and patience to get better results.
• Don't blindly trust the AI's responses if the AI gives you a fact or a number. Remember, you will be responsible for the accuracy of the information you use in your work, even if it comes from the AI.
• Always remember to acknowledge when you've used AI in your work. At the end of any project or assignment where you've used AI, include a short explanation about how and why you used it and what prompts you used. Not doing this could be considered as not being honest about your work.
• Lastly, use AI thoughtfully. It can be a great tool, but it's not always the right tool for the job. Consider whether it's the best choice for the task at hand.

Peninsula SD is also mentioned in a recent Time Magazine article on AI.

Harnessing AI's Potential in Education: Exploring Artificial Intelligence's Role in Our Schools

A Webinar From EdLeaders Network | September 21, 2023 @ 1:00 PM

As technology continues to reshape the educational landscape, this session delves into the transformative impact of AI within school environments, exploring its potential benefits, challenges, and the crucial task of developing comprehensive policies to ensure responsible and equitable AI integration. Discover how AI is revolutionizing teaching methods, personalizing learning experiences, streamlining administrative tasks, and shaping the future of education. Whether you're an educator, administrator, policymaker, or simply curious about the future of education, this webinar offers a unique opportunity to explore the dynamic synergy between AI and schools. Prepare to gain a deeper understanding of AI's potential to enhance education and equip the next generation for success in an increasingly interconnected world.

Register now.

From Washington Principal

And if all of that wasn't enough, check out the last issue of Washington Principal magazine where we covered ChatGPT in our Appy Hour segment. I also shared my thoughts in my column (Say Hi to AI: Time to Get Real About Artificial Intelligence) on just how transformational it's already become and shared a few of the ways it's already changed education and business.

Sharing is Caring

Do you have a great example of AI being used in your school or district? Maybe a resource you think other school leaders need to know about? Have questions about getting started with AI? Please send me an email. 

Like it or not, we're in a new frontier. We're all in this together now. 

	David Morrill
	Communications & Technology Director AWSP