On Wednesday afternoon, the district director sent an email saying she might be late for her first practice session. She explained that she was giving a board presentation that night, just before the session. Her story is not unique. It symbolizes the complexity faced by education leaders as they navigate responsibility, unexpected demands, and the need for human connection.
AI of Educational Leadership The Catalyst Community of Practice was intentionally designed to promote the strategic leadership and collaborative networking needed to navigate the complex implications of generating AI. As co-designers, we imagined a space where leaders could reflect on big questions. How do we lead in integrity when the ground below us may be changing? How can we focus on pause and introspection in the age of AI? And most importantly: How can we design a learning experience that is as adaptive and resilient as the leaders we serve?
An important framework that guides our work
To quickly integrate artificial intelligence into education, we need to rethink the traditional leadership paradigm. In this ever-evolving landscape, the principle of Liberation design It provides a powerful framework for navigating uncertainty and fostering equitable change. Rather than simply viewing these ideas as design principles, they argue that they represent important leadership capabilities in the age of AI.
Build a relational trust. From the beginning, we had a deeper listening to the aspirations and challenges of the community. “As a campus, we have a lot of issues with AI use and are working on AI policy.” Furthermore, by welcoming participants Please come just like thatWhether it’s on or off the camera, or whether it’s separated as needed, we respected the reality that leaders are caregivers as well, juggling roles and responsibilities. Building relational trusts is paramount to major communities through technological change.
Practice self-awareness. After each session we conducted After the action review,ask: What was supposed to happen? What actually happened? What did we learn? What do you want to adjust? We also shared the results of the survey on the end of the session and the reflections with participants. This simple act of showing our work invited others the same way, cultivating a culture of continuous learning and a place where feedback was not only collected but acted.
Recognizes oppression. We asked ourselves: Who’s not at the table? Her bandwidth was reduced when participants were reassigned to additional school roles within the program. Rather than letting her slip, we provided a flexible way for her to stay engaged. This has led to a continuous consideration of structural and individual barriers that make participation more difficult.
Accept complexity. By reconfiguring our first community of practice as a pilot, we have freed us from the fantasies of perfection. We invited a variety of perspectives to curriculum design. This has created unexpected partnerships and rich learning experiences.
Focus on human values. We listened deeply to the participants’ stories and aspirations, and raised the most important issues at the intersection of AI and education. This allowed us to raise the genius within our community, and we ensured that our work was grounded in that leaders have the best head in this particular snapshot of our journey with AI.
Seek free collaboration. The title is more important than the experience of living. We invited participants to co-design and co-design sessions to leverage group collective leadership. A member of one community later reflected, “This is what a paradigm shift looks like: not just professional development, but the development of possibilities.” This approach built capacity and developed a sense of shared ownership.
Works with fear and discomfort. AI can be daunting. Early on, we established the norm: Be comfortable to be uncomfortable. In the breakout room, we shared the challenges our leaders were navigating. By retaining space for vulnerabilities, we have transformed discomfort into a catalyst for growth and community.
Please join in healing. Weekly check-in provided participants with the opportunity to share what was working and what didn’t. One principal wrote, “Our first session was incredibly energetic.” Participating in the emotional components of change is just as important as technical content.
Work to change your strength. We design multiple entry points for sharing and learning, recognizing that agency, belonging and ability are the core human needs we must meet. Gradually, they developed a wider sense of purpose by releasing responsibility and inviting leaders to share learning across cohorts.
Exercise your creative courage. Progress, not perfection, was our mantra. With the modelling of vulnerability and curiosity, we embraced mistakes as an opportunity to learn. Partnering between organizations demonstrated that collaboration, particularly among valued leaders, can lead to innovation and accidental partnerships.
Take action to learn. Low-risk experiments were important. He put pressure on the components of the curriculum and designed accelerated services for learning and coordination. The essential questions led the initial idea process. What is our vision? Which framework do you use? How do you know if we are making an impact? What additional expertise and voice do you need?
A practical frame for leadership reflection
For leaders looking to apply these mindsets, consider these reflection questions.
- How do you build trust and psychological safety in your community?
- Who’s not participating? What barriers can it help to remove?
- How do you model adaptability and openness to feedback?
- How do you demonstrate a responsible approach to technology?
- Where am I taking creative risks and what am I learning from them?
Looking ahead
The challenges facing education leaders are immeasurable, but so are opportunities. The community of practice has provided an important space for leaders to share their experiences, learn from each other and learn from each other. By focusing on relational trusts, Overall leadership approaches And with free design, you can truly create more inclusive, powerful, and transformative learning experiences and systems.
Powered by Google.org, ISTE+ASCD and six coalition partners bring together a diverse group of educators to make educators considerate and responsible for the transformational potential of generated AI. Please join the movement with Generationai.org And they become part of a dynamic network of educators that shape the future of learning for all students. Sign up here.
Liberation design (http://www.liberatorydesign.com) Results of collaboration between Tania Anaissie, David Clifford, Susie Wise and the National Equity Project [Victor Cary and Tom Malarkey].