The State of AI in K-12 Education
The use of AI in schools is presenting both opportunities and challenges for K-12 educators.
In the opportunity column, innovative AI tools for schools can automate data collection and analysis, personalize student learning, and take on tedious administrative tasks. Other AI-powered tools provide accommodations to support students with disabilities and increase accessibility for English-language learners.
When it comes to the use of generative AI tools (like ChatGPT or Bard), however, educators have more than a little apprehension. Teachers understandably have concerns that if students use generative AI to complete assignments they won’t fully engage with the material or develop critical thinking skills.
Also topping their concerns is that as the availability of generative AI becomes widespread, the potential for plagiarism, cheating, and misinformation does as well. Beyond its impact on academic integrity, AI use in schools also raises issues about student data privacy and digital citizenship.
Realizing that AI is here to stay, however, many K-12 educators acknowledge that they can’t avoid the challenges forever. Instead, their focus is turning toward solutions to help them use AI in a responsible and ethical way, and teach their students to do the same.
Enter AI Chat for Securly Filter. Tailored specifically for use in K-12 classrooms, AI Chat bridges the gap between giving students access to technology and guiding them how to use it responsibly and ethically.
The Challenge: Teaching Students How to Use AI Responsibly
Educators recognize the imperative to teach their students how to use AI. Almost all teachers agree that at least some AI education is needed.
With many teachers reporting feeling overworked and stressed, though, the last thing they need or want is one more thing on their to-do lists. Their hands are already full between trying to keep students focused in the face of digital distractions, overcoming learning loss, and generally supporting students who are still in many ways recovering from the impact of a global pandemic.
Teachers also may lack the confidence and curriculum to effectively teach students how to use AI. More than half of new teachers don’t feel confident integrating technology into their teaching. This also raises concerns about how comfortable experienced teachers are. Bottom line: without the time or the tools, teachers’ ability to teach AI is severely limited at best.
The Opportunity: Teach Students Ethical AI Use
AI Chat for Securly Filter was designed to address the challenges that AI presents for educators. This brand-new solution makes it possible for schools to expose their students to generative AI while maintaining oversight and control over how they’re using it. In doing so, AI Chat helps both teachers and students understand how to use AI effectively and responsibly.
With AI Chat for Securly Filter, schools can:
- Monitor student usage of AI
- Guide students in the responsible and ethical use of AI
- Customize interactions and content to support educational goals
- Teach students digital citizenship
- Ensure student data privacy is maintained
How Does AI Chat Work?
The student experience of AI Chat is similar to other generative AI tools like ChatGPT or Bard. Students are presented with a user-friendly chat interface where they can ask questions and give detailed prompts.
Unlike these publicly available tools, though, AI Chat gives administrators and teachers the ability to set guardrails for how it responds to students’ queries. AI Chat also gives you complete visibility into how students are interacting with it, so you can adjust policies as needed to guide your students toward productive and responsible AI use.
How Can It Be Used in the Classroom?
The opportunities to use AI Chat are limited only by your imagination. Here are some ideas for teachers to get started:
5 Ways AI Chat Benefits K-12 Schools and Their Students
AI Chat for Securly Filter helps you teach students how to use AI ethically and become responsible digital citizens.
1. Teach Students Responsible AI Use
With visibility into students’ AI Chat usage, you can understand how students are interacting with AI. You can quickly identify misuse and easily set up or revise policies to redirect students toward acceptable usage.
2. Promote Academic Integrity
With AI Chat, students learn how to use AI as a complement to their learning, not as a crutch. You can customize interactions and content to prompt critical thinking instead of replacing it, and monitor student use to course correct when needed.
3. Foster Digital Citizenship
AI Chat is an ideal tool for teaching digital citizenship. You can instruct students how to safely and responsibly use the internet and latest technology, while also developing a practical understanding of the implications of their online actions.
4. Prepare Students for the Future
By teaching students to use AI responsibly and ethically, you’re preparing them for a future where AI will play a significant role in many aspects of life and work. AI Chat lets you expose students to the power of AI, while keeping them safe and providing guardrails to guide them.
5. Maintain Student Data Privacy
Unlike universally available generative AI tools, AI Chat is designed specifically for K-12 education. Like all of Securly’s edtech tools, it meets or exceeds the highest standards for student data privacy, and maintains compliance with COPPA, FERPA, CSPA, and all state, federal, and international data privacy regulations.
Let AI Chat Help You Seize the Educational Opportunities AI Presents
The use of AI tools in K-12 education doesn’t come without challenges, but it also provides an opportunity to enhance student learning and prepare them for technology-enabled lives and careers. With AI Chat for Securly Filter, schools can safely teach students how to use AI with integrity today, so they become the responsible digital citizens and future leaders of tomorrow.
Want to be among the first to experience AI Chat for Securly Filter? Apply to be a beta customer at www.securly.com/aichat.
