Generative artificial intelligence (AI) can support educators in strengthening their teaching and understanding of student learning, however, several key components – such as infrastructure, professional learning, curriculum design, and ongoing support – must be addressed before implementing AI within the school system.
What is Generative Artificial Intelligence?
Generative artificial intelligence (AI) is artificial intelligence capable of generating text, images, or other data using generative models in response to prompts. Used thoughtfully, it can support personalized student learning, formative assessment, differentiation, and more. It also presents several risks, including misinformation, data privacy and security, and moral and ethical concerns.
Resources for Educational Leaders
Introductory Materials
AI Guide (AI Pedagogy Project, metaLAB at Harvard): Start here! This resource has an excellent introduction to generative AI, tutorial, and resource page. It also has AI-related student "assignments."
AI 101 for Teachers (Code.org, ETS, International Society for Technology in Education, Khan Academy): An accessible online learning series for educators new to AI who are looking for a layperson’s introduction.
Artificial Intelligence and the Future of Teaching and Learning (U.S. Department of Education Office of Educational Technology): A report that addresses the need for sharing knowledge, engaging educators, and refining technology plans and policies for artificial intelligence use in education.
Generative AI in K-12 Education: Challenges and Opportunities (Common Sense Media): A thoughtful and comprehensive survey of AI principles/guidelines; AI literacy for educators; emerging uses in education; risks and challenges; student perspectives; and recommendations.
AI Technology and Learning Resources (Common Sense Media): These resources, including product reviews, practical tips for teachers, an AI foundations course for educators, and AI literacy lessons (gr. 6-12), provide an excellent overview with a practical orientation.
Learning with AI, Learning about AI (California Department of Education): Information regarding the role of AI in California K-12 public education.
Specific Uses
Prompts for Common Educational Uses (AI for Education): Writing appropriate prompts is a challenging aspect of effectively using AI. These resources provide guidance and samples for immediate use. Explore the prompt library and webpage overview. AI for Education also has a reputable resource center for educators.
aiEDU (aiedu.org): Useful to introduce middle and high school students to AI. It provides AI-themed warm-up activities as well as in-depth project-based activities. Recommended for teachers grades 7-12.
Stanford CRAFT (Stanford University): High-quality, rigorous lessons about AI.
Hands-On AI Projects for the Classroom (ISTE, General Motors): Differentiated guidebooks for elementary, secondary, elective, computer science, and ethics.
Key Resources for Generative AI Adoption and Policy
AI Toolkit for School Districts (Common Sense): This toolkit provides a structured, action-oriented guide for school districts to implement AI safely, responsibly, and effectively. It includes ready-to-use templates, implementation guides, and customizable resources to support districts at various stages of AI exploration and adoption.
The toolkit prioritizes practical gen AI use cases that can be implemented today, while offering a strategic approach for navigating AI's evolving role in education. The content is adaptable for varying district sizes, capacities, and priorities, and emphasizes direct support for implementation—not just planning—at each stage.
Bringing AI to School: Tips for School Leaders (International Society for Technology in Education): This guide provides an overview of generative AI and gives a framework for AI adoption and additional resources for educators.
Demystifying Artificial Intelligence (AI) for K-12 (All4Ed): A thoughtful framework for implementing generative AI across a district with an equity focus.
AI Guidance for Schools Toolkit (TeachAI): A comprehensive guide on creating policy, guidance, and a framework for adopting generative AI.
Guidance for the Use of AI in the K-12 Classroom (Southern Regional Education Board): Provides guidance on cross-disciplinary learning for AI, cautions about bias, ethical use in research, cheating, data security, and deepfakes/hallucinations.
Creating Effective Responsible Use Policies for Schools (Digital Citizenship Coalition, ISTE, Consortium for School Networking, Association of Technology Leaders in Independent Schools): A guide for creating policies on the responsible use of generative AI and digital citizenship.
Sample District Guidelines and Case Studies
AI Guidance (draft) and AI Usage Guidelines (Santa Barbara Unified School District): The Santa Barbara Unified School District drafted guidance for using generative AI in the district, addressing student data privacy and security, staff professional development, and equity and access.