As artificial intelligence is introduced into our classrooms, sometimes invited and sometimes uninvited, educators will be asking essential questions about its implementation and impact. Educators are exploring ways to use AI to redefine learning experiences, strengthen student-teacher relationships, and support students as ethical AI users and creators.
Recently, I spoke with several teachers about their top questions and thoughts about using it. AI in teaching and learning. Their thought-provoking answers challenge us to consider not just what AI can do, but what it means for meaningful and equitable learning environments. With these reflections in mind, we can better understand how to move toward meaningful AI integration in education.
Walberto Flores: How can we redefine teaching and learning?
The real question is not just what tasks AI can perform faster or easier, but also what educators can help. should And how can AI help us achieve those goals?
Utilizing AI is not about repeating what has already been done, but about challenging what needs to be done. It’s not about doing things faster, it’s about doing the essential things and doing them well. The innovation that AI offers lies not in the technology itself, but in how much it can improve us as educators.
We need to ask how AI can provide more meaningful time for students, foster authentic relationships, and serve as role models to help students become better people.
Anne David: What about the teacher-student relationship?
No matter what the next/latest technology is, from paper to AI, the student-teacher relationship has always been at the heart of learning. As AI takes on more tasks, such as lesson plans, worksheets, and emails to parents, this refocuses what AI cannot replicate: the trusting relationships between teachers and students that are essential to learning. This is your chance to guess.
New technologies often take teachers, administrators, and schools away from that focus. I piloted a smart board in the early 2000s. Was it more effective than my blackboard? Yes, but I still needed to get to know my students. Relationships are often the solution to real problems. It would no doubt be a good thing if AI could give more room to the teacher-student relationship in the learning process.
Hue-An Wren: How can we use AI to create student-centered practices?
This technology gives us the opportunity to shift away from outdated educational practices that no longer serve today’s students and better prepare them for the future. Student-centered learning allows you to teach every learner at the pace they need and want, and AI allows you to overcome existing hurdles and move towards a more personalized learning experience.
AI tools have already proven to help improve teacher productivity and foster student creativity. We need to encourage more conversations about these benefits in a non-coercive way. ISTE’s infographic on using AI in the classroom is a useful resource to foster discussion among educators.
Patty Morales: How can we help students use AI ethically both inside and outside of the classroom?
To help students use AI ethically as well as understand how it is created, K-12 covers understanding and exploring key concepts about machine learning and students. The focus should be on creating skill progression up to. Uses of AI such as ethics and data privacy. This advancement should also include real-world scenarios and design thinking projects where students use code to build AI tools.
Hannah Davis Kettman: As we dive headfirst into a future where generative AI answers our questions, our students, despite their tech savvy, are wondering where their data goes and who owns it. We often overlook what’s happening behind the scenes. While AI is useful, it is important to remember that these interactions are data-driven and lack empathy, compassion, and human understanding. As information increasingly becomes currency, we must remain conscious of our humanity and the values and connections that truly make us whole.
Schools must develop intentional and acceptable use policies and explicitly teach students about data privacy, digital citizenship, technology bias, and the power of critical thinking. If we can address these questions, I believe we are doing our job: teaching students to solve difficult problems while immersing them in real-world experiences.
Betzabe Orenos: How can students advocate for the use of AI in the classroom?
This is a natural question even high school students have. They watch teachers use AI to plan lessons, provide feedback, and generate ideas for projects. This raises questions of fairness. If teachers can rely on AI, why can’t students rely on it? This allows educators to personalize AI-generated content and foster open dialogue about the use of AI. It’s so fun to see students so engaged in these conversations. They want to champion AI in the classroom, but they also understand how to use it ethically, responsibly, and productively.
It is important to educate both teachers and students on the ethical and responsible use of AI. Teachers must model best practices and help students explore the potential and ethical implications of AI. Without this space, AI may continue to be seen as just a tool for cheating, rather than an opportunity for students to learn and innovate under their guidance.
Empowering the next generation with responsible AI practices
As teachers and students explore the world of AI together, how we handle this technology in today’s classrooms will have a lasting impact on society. By encouraging ethical use, responsible choices, and a focus on relationships, we will prepare students to interact thoughtfully with AI, now and in the future.
Teachers play a key role in demonstrating how AI can be leveraged for learning, while centering equity, empathy, and ethics. Students are starting to advocate for AI in education and are also learning to think about its broader implications. Through these classroom experiences, we can ensure that AI is used to help not just individuals but entire communities.
The discussions we are having with students today will empower them to create a future where AI improves learning, fosters creativity, and supports responsible digital habits. By leveraging AI in thoughtful ways, both teachers and students are laying the foundation for a more just and caring technological world.
