Dos and Don'ts of AI in the Classroom

By integrating artificial intelligence (AI) in the classroom, educators can offer students powerful educational opportunities. Here’s a quick guide highlighting essential best practices (“Dos”) and common pitfalls to avoid (“Don’ts”), ensuring a safe, effective, and equitable AI-enhanced learning environment.

Do…

• Do Keep Humans Central: Always prioritize tools that complement human interactions and enhance educator-student relationships.
• Do Ensure Evidence-Based Use: Choose AI tools proven effective through independent research and aligned with educational objectives.
• Do Provide Professional Development: Offer thorough training for educators on AI literacy, enabling confident and informed use of AI tools.
• Do Maintain Transparency: Select tools with clear information on data practices, ensuring understanding of data collection, usage, and storage.
• Do Promote Accessibility: Opt for AI solutions accessible to diverse learners, including emergent multilingual learners and individuals with disabilities.
• Do Adhere to Privacy Standards: Ensure strict compliance with privacy laws (e.g., FERPA) and robust data security practices.
• Do Evaluate for Bias: Regularly assess AI tools for algorithmic biases to safeguard against unfair outcomes.
• Do Set High Standards for Surveillance: Only adopt AI-powered surveillance tools with clear educational justification, community transparency, and safeguards to prevent misuse.

Don't…

• Don’t Rely Solely on AI: Avoid replacing essential human interactions or educator judgment entirely with technology.
• Don’t Ignore Equity: Refrain from adopting AI tools that disadvantage or fail to accommodate diverse student populations.
• Don’t Overlook Ethics: Never compromise ethical considerations, such as data privacy, student autonomy, or transparency, for convenience.
• Don’t Skip Training: Avoid implementing AI tools without providing adequate training and resources for educators.
• Don’t Trust Unverified Claims: Beware of AI tools lacking independent research backing or credible evaluations.
• Don’t Underestimate Risks: Avoid neglecting potential issues, such as biases, data security, and privacy violations.
• Don’t Forget Accountability: Never implement AI without clear accountability measures to address any errors, biases, or negative outcomes swiftly.
• Don’t Use Surveillance Tools for High-Stakes Decisions: Do not use AI monitoring tools to make disciplinary, evaluative, or grading decisions. These tools should not substitute for due process or human oversight.

Successfully integrating AI into the classroom hinges on mindful, ethical, and informed practices. By embracing these dos and steering clear of the don'ts, educators can set their classroom up for success in an increasingly AI-driven world.