AI by Teachers, Not Just for Teachers

Practically every week another article is published about how AI will benefit classroom teachers. It’s always something to the effect of: 

“By automating grading, planning, and administrative work, artificial intelligence systems can free up educators' time and energy for increased student contact.” 

While this statement may hold some truth, it misses the larger point. Teachers shouldn’t be thought of as passive beneficiaries of AI’s ability to automate tasks (some of which many teachers enjoy). Instead, they should be recognized for having the ideal skill set to shape the direction of AI for themselves, their peers, and their students.

I’ve been using the term “Teacher”, but this applies equally well to all Educators, from curriculum developers to instructional designers, researchers, instructors, academics, and librarians. These professionals can leverage their expertise not just to use AI but to guide the development of new AI systems.

Isn’t the Current State of AI Similar to That of a Young Mind?

AI is not a database of knowledge. The neural networks used to train large language models (LLMs) that power AI are designed to mimic the function of neurons in the human brain. They form and strengthen connections between concepts. They apply weights and biases to arrive at nuanced associations between them. Just like students, AI needs to be guided, challenged, tested, and interacted with in a supportive and positive way to achieve the best outcomes. That’s what teachers do.

Educators are in the business of not just transferring knowledge, but of guiding young minds in how to think and arrive at their own conclusions. When the same approaches are used with AI, it’s referred to as Prompt Engineering. Researchers in the field of Prompt Engineering experiment with pedagogical principles to understand how to guide AI interactions toward desired outcomes. The most effective strategies for interacting with AI such as question framing, problem structuring, and guided exploration, are exactly what teachers do every day with their students. 

Educators are not merely overburdened laborers in need of AI to relieve them of work. They are highly skilled professionals with unique expertise in communication, context, and clarity that sets them up to be the most insightful practitioners with AI. They are the original prompt engineers! Who better to guide and grow AI into an effective, adaptable educational co-creator?

What Might Educator-Trained AI Look Like?

Every day, new AI tools come out that focus on automating administrative tasks. Lately, there’s a trend toward emerging applications in lesson planning and even student tutoring. Some of these will be real lifesavers for educators, but honestly, educators have deeper and more nuanced issues that need focus. In today’s political landscape, the need for locally developed and customized educational materials is more pressing than ever. Political shifts and policy changes often require curriculum adjustments that reflect local values, needs, and prohibitions. Educators are well positioned, and in fact already are trying, to use AI in a thoughtful and informed way to adapt materials to meet these demands, while ensuring the educational content remains relevant and responsive to their classroom.

The coming generation of AI solutions will be quick learners; as such, they have the potential to be vital partners. They might be a source of professional development. They might discuss and explore, or compare and contrast methodologies. They might help with research tasks, identifying novel source materials that connect topics with their classroom. They might brainstorm on how to provide varied perspectives on subjects so every student can understand them. They might serve as a source of constructive feedback and constant encouragement in an increasingly challenging and polarized world.

Keep Humans at the Heart of Education

We are just at the beginning of seeing the impact of AI on education. Some of it will be good, some less so. It's important to recognize that AI's transformative power will be in its utility to enhance educators' practices, rather than replace tasks. AI in education should be in the hands of educators—they ensure that the human element remains central in education. Technology shouldn't reduce the humanity of education; it should amplify it. In the whirlwind of the current hype cycle, let's not miss the obvious and incredible reality before us: the best-prepared AI trainers amongst us are in the classroom.

Thanks to Christine Zanchi at iCivics and Dr. Carly Muetterties, my colleague at CommonGood, for the insightful contributions.