Investing Wisely in AI to Protect Student Data: A User Guide on Avoiding Unreliable AI Technologies
In the ever-evolving world of education, the integration of Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools has become a topic of great interest. Ken Shelton, Educational Strategist and Instructional Designer, shares insights on what school districts need to know before deciding on AI tools.
One crucial aspect is being able to distinguish between AI tools that can help in making informed decisions, and those that may lead to unwelcome outcomes. For instance, LAUSD invested $6 million in an AI chatbot named "Ed" developed by AllHere Education. However, subsequent shutdown of AllHere Education forced LAUSD to abandon the chatbot.
Shelton emphasizes the importance of having basic digital literacy in understanding AI. He warns against the over-promise of AI platform marketing strategies and questions the difference between responsible use and digital citizenship in schools.
To avoid similar issues, Shelton advocates for comprehensive data privacy policies, ensuring regulatory compliance (e.g., FERPA), providing thorough staff training on AI use and data protection, and adopting transparent, phased rollout strategies that include pilot programs and ongoing evaluation.
Assessing and upgrading technical infrastructure to securely handle AI tools and data without compromising bandwidth or security protocols is another key best practice. Gradually building staff readiness and confidence through hands-on training, peer-led innovation sessions, and open communication channels also plays a significant role in managing change effectively and fostering positive AI integration in classrooms.
Implementing pilot programs before full district-wide adoption is essential to monitor effectiveness, address biases, and refine privacy controls based on real-world usage. Maintaining transparency and explainability of AI decision-making processes is crucial, allowing educators, administrators, and parents to understand how student data is used and AI outputs are generated.
Establishing leadership alignment and policy development is also vital so that administrators visibly support responsible AI use and provide clear protocols on data protection, bias monitoring, and ethical considerations.
Understanding specific needs is important when vetting AI platforms, as it helps avoid having unnecessary systems in possession of critical private information. The question now is what will happen to the data inputted into the chatbot. Shelton advises continuous monitoring of AI tools to ensure they deliver on their promise without unintended harm, and advocates for proactive piloting, testing, and refining of AI tools.
By following these strategies, school districts can safeguard student data privacy, ensure ethical AI use, and prevent unexpected challenges such as data breaches or misuse. Building a collaborative culture among educators and prioritizing gradual adoption with robust ethical safeguards is crucial for successful, responsible AI implementation in education.
Teacher and students in a school setting can benefit from the integration of digital technology and artificial intelligence (AI) in learning. However, it's important to be cautious when choosing AI tools, as their misuse can lead to unwelcome outcomes. To make informed decisions, understanding digital literacy is essential.
For instance, extensive research and assessment should be conducted before adopting AI tools, considering comprehensive data privacy policies, regulatory compliance, and staff training on AI use and data protection. School districts should also maintain transparent, phased rollout strategies to monitor effectiveness and refine privacy controls.
Implementing pilot programs to assess the performance of AI tools is essential, ensuring they address potential biases and deliver on their promise without causing unintended harm. School leaders should take the lead in policy development, expressing support for responsible AI use and providing clear protocols on data protection, bias monitoring, and ethical considerations.
By understanding specific needs and continuously monitoring AI tools, educators, administrators, and parents can ensure AI learning and assessment platforms deliver on their promise without compromising student data privacy or ethical standards. Building a collaborative culture among educators and prioritizing gradual adoption with robust ethical safeguards is crucial for successful, responsible AI implementation in education and self-development.
