When you join the Association for Academic Leaders, you give the Academic Leaders on your campus the tools they need to lead effectively with Generative AI. In the whirlwind of 2020, One Schoolhouse shared a vital piece of advice that proved transformative for many schools: "Simplify your technology portfolio." Amid the pandemic’s chaos, this guidance helped schools focus on delivering quality education. The traditional independent school model, where faculty chose their own tools, became unmanageable. Schools that adopted a single Learning Management System standardized templates for all faculty saw significant benefits for students, families and educators.
As we deepen our use of Generative AI, this gradual shift promises to be as profound and significant as the rapid move to distance learning was. The sheer number of Generative AI tools available can be overwhelming. Schools that adopt a single, versatile AI tool can navigate this new landscape efficiently, keeping educators and students focused on learning and growth. Here are the five priorities that keep you focused on what’s right for your school: Establish a Technology Exploration Group To stay ahead, form a group dedicated to researching and evaluating new AI tools. This team should understand that not every tool tested will be adopted campus-wide. Their mission is to explore and assess, ensuring that your school makes informed, strategic decisions about which technologies to implement.
Avoid the Whack-a-Mole Approach Constantly switching tools with every new AI release is impractical and costly. Generative AI applications will vary, but you are responsible for securing sensitive data, from academic records to donor information. A unified approach to AI tools helps maintain security and consistency, providing peace of mind as you adapt to evolving technology.
Prioritize Paid Tools for Data Privacy and Security Investing in paid AI tools is often necessary to ensure data privacy and security. The saying, “if the product is free, you’re the product,” holds true. Thoroughly review terms of service and privacy policies. Christina Lewellen, Executive Director of ATLIS, suggests using an AI tool to highlight potential red flags in these documents, while still conducting your own detailed review.
Leverage Existing Productivity Tools You don’t need to provide a vast array of AI tools to everyone. Start with what’s familiar. If your campus primarily uses a specific productivity suite, begin with the associated AI tool. For instance, Microsoft Office users should explore Microsoft's Co-pilot, while Google Suite users might start with Gemini. This familiarity can ease the adoption process and help users integrate AI more quickly. If using multiple productivity tools, consider enabling AI in just one initially. Expand only if additional functionalities are needed.
Distinguish Between Productivity and EdTech AI Tools AI tools for productivity and those for education serve different purposes. Bill Fitzgerald of Global Cyber Alliance highlights that many edtech AI offerings often overpromise and underdeliver. Choose tools that genuinely enhance learning rather than those that merely chase trends. Navigating Generative AI doesn’t have to be overwhelming. By focusing on simplicity and consistency, your school can effectively harness AI’s power while maintaining a secure, cohesive environment. The goal is to enhance learning and streamline operations—not to chase every new trend. With careful planning and a unified strategy, your school can integrate AI in a way that truly benefits your community, ensuring that both educators and students achieve their best.
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As the digital world rapidly evolves, families increasingly expect schools to prepare students for a future driven by technology. A robust computer science program is not just a luxury; it's a necessity. But how can schools keep up with this growing demand, especially when resources and qualified educators are in short supply? The Academic Program at One Schoolhouse offers a compelling solution: our comprehensive and flexible computer science program empowers schools to expand their offerings and equip their students with essential skills for the future.
Addressing Teacher Shortages in Computer Science One of the most significant barriers schools face in expanding their computer science offerings is the difficulty in hiring and retaining qualified teachers. The booming tech industry offers lucrative opportunities that often draw potential educators away from the classroom, making it difficult for schools to offer a diverse and advanced array of computer science courses. Every year, schools reach out to the Academic Program at One Schoolhouse because they’ve been unable to hire a computer science teacher, or because the current teacher is unexpectedly departing. We’ve been able to help schools mitigate the situation by enrolling students in one of our seven computer science courses. By leveraging our team of experienced and dedicated computer science educators, schools can ensure consistent, high-quality education for their students. Our expert teachers create engaging courses and support their students as they learn and grow. As one AP Computer Science Principles student wrote at the end of their course, “I was nervous about submitting my AP portfolio and asked [my teacher] to meet with me many times. Each time he helped me so much, and by the end, I couldn't have felt more confident in my work.” Offering a Comprehensive and Diverse Curriculum To truly be future-ready, schools need to offer a curriculum that is both broad and deep, providing students with a thorough grounding in computer science as well as opportunities to explore advanced topics. One Schoolhouse’s scope and sequence offers seven separate courses, with foundational courses like Introduction to Computer Science and AP Computer Science Principles, and advanced classes such Game Design, Data Science, and Coding with Python. It's not enough for schools to merely offer these courses as a fallback when students exhaust their on-campus options. When your school includes our Academic Program courses in your course catalog, you enable prospective students and families to imagine their potential paths and see advanced study as an attainable reality, not just an aspiration. Our courses invite students to explore who they can become as they progress through your school, making advanced learning not just a possibility but a goal that’s within their grasp. Creating Advanced and Specialized Opportunities Top students often seek opportunities to go beyond standard curricula and challenge themselves with more complex material. The Academic Program’s advanced computer science courses cater to these needs by offering deep dives into specialized areas of computer science. Whether it's mastering the intricacies of machine learning in our Artificial Intelligence course or exploring the creativity of technology through Game Design, our program provides the depth and rigor these students crave. Our approach includes hands-on projects and real-world problem-solving, core components of our advanced courses. During the second semester, students engage in personalized, project-based work, applying theoretical knowledge in practical scenarios. Student-driven passion projects expand their understanding and hone their problem-solving and analytical skills, preparing them for future academic and career success. As your school strives to be future-ready, our computer science program can be an essential partner. We’re here to help you solve the critical challenge of teacher shortages, offer a comprehensive and adaptable curriculum, and provide advanced opportunities that prepare students for the evolving demands of the tech world. By integrating One Schoolhouse into your educational offerings, your school can confidently showcase your commitment to delivering exceptional computer science education and preparing your students for the future. To learn more and discuss how we can support your school’s goals, visit our computer science page or contact us directly by phone or email at 202.618.3637 or [email protected]. As a part of our commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging, we recognize observances and holidays that center the voices and experiences of historically excluded peoples in the United States. We aim to lift up the words of others who share our commitment to learning, and amplify voices from the disability community.
Learn about the history of Disability Pride Month: Disability Pride Month marks the anniversary of the signing of the Americans with Disabilities Act on July 26, 1990. This timeline from the National Center for Learning Disabilities marks the key events that predate its passage and mark its evolution. Recognize Disability Pride Month in Your School and Community: Explore lesson plans about ability, history, equity, and inclusion from Disability Equality in Education, a “cross-disability organization led by disabled people who are experts in the fields of inclusive disability education and advocacy.” Listen to the Voices of People With Disabilities: Journalist Cathy Reay writes, “Even with the effort some of us put into telling the world about it, year on year Disability Pride Month tends to pass by largely unnoticed by those outside our community… But when the global disabled community is made up of more than one billion people, why wouldn’t people take it seriously? And why aren't more people talking about it?” In an online learning environment, connection only happens with intention. When we design Academic Program courses at One Schoolhouse, we center opportunities for connections among students, and between students and teachers. Our hiring process for teachers focuses on candidates’ ability to build connections in an online space, and our design and teaching standards continue to reinforce that work as educators create and refine their courses. We do all this because we understand that fostering strong community ties and personal growth is at the core of independent school education. We built our Academic Program to reflect these values that you–and we–hold dear:
Teacher Presence: Reflecting Attentive and Engaged Teaching In your schools, teacher engagement is crucial for student success—and it’s also true in our Academic Program. Our teachers are trained to be actively present, providing timely feedback, regular communication, and participating in discussions. This mirrors the personalized attention and supportive feedback that are hallmarks of independent school education. As one AP Environmental Science student shared, “This is one of my favorite classes I've taken throughout my entire school career because of the connection I feel with my classmates and teachers. You can't always find that.” Communication: Fostering Strong Connections Strong, open communication is fundamental to building a thriving educational community, a value we deeply respect. Our teachers ensure students feel connected and supported through regular, meaningful interactions. Utilizing tools like email, video meetings, voice comments, and written feedback, our teachers maintain a communicative and caring ethos. As one AP Computer Science Principles student noted, “I was nervous about submitting my AP portfolio and asked [my teacher] to meet with me many times. Each time he helped me so much… He always responds to emails so fast and overall is just great at teaching the APCS content.” Empathy and Understanding: Prioritizing Social-Emotional Support We recognize that nurturing the whole student—academically and emotionally—is integral to their success. Our teachers provide the same empathetic, supportive environment that you cultivate in your schools, which is vital for student engagement and performance. One AP Physics C student shared, “The teacher is phenomenal and helped me get back on my feet when I needed help… She went out of her way to reach out to me on several occasions to make sure I was alright and to answer any questions I had, which is something I truly appreciate.” Personalization: Creating Opportunities to Pursue Individual Interests We share your commitment to personalized education, understanding that each student’s unique path is crucial to their success. Our Academic Program courses adapt to individual needs and interests, mirroring the tailored educational experiences you provide. Our pedagogy has embraced personalized learning for nearly ten years. As one Neuroscience student mentioned, “The project at the end of the year allowed me to dive deeper and more creatively into a topic that interested me.” Student Growth: Delivering High-Quality Feedback Quality feedback is vital to student growth. Our teachers provide the kind of detailed, constructive feedback that aligns with your high standards, ensuring students are guided effectively. This feedback helps students understand their progress and areas needing improvement, fostering a sense of accomplishment and direction. By using rubrics and providing insightful feedback, our teachers support students in achieving their goals. An AP Biology student wrote, “"My teacher is always willing to help, is quick in responses to emails,... is interested in my pursuits outside of school, and offers great feedback on assignments." Partnership: A Shared Vision of Student Success Your values of connection, engagement, and personalized support are at the heart of everything we do. We believe in creating a dynamic, nurturing learning community where students feel supported, engaged, and valued. Through strong relationships and tailored educational experiences, we strive to uphold the very best of independent school education. Together, we can enhance academic performance and foster environments where students thrive. Learn more from Ilana in Leading Your Department/Team in Understanding Generative AI and shape your school in adopting and adapting to new technologies.Offered August 5-9.
The thing is, Generative AI isn’t magic. It’s people. Behind every large language model are millions of pages of information, which contain the author’s biases as well as the biases of those who chose what to include and, just as important, what to exclude from the data set. So what are we as academic leaders to do? Do what we do best: be a model. Model for our students and colleagues how to use AI transparently, responsibly and collaboratively. Transparency: Ethan Mollick writes about cyborgs, people who use AI for work, yet refrain from discussing their use of this tool with colleagues. In a 2023 article, Mollick writes, “there are at least three reasons these cyborgs stay secret. But they all boil down to the same thing: people don’t want to get in trouble.” However, when you have a school culture that celebrates new ideas and experimentation, you can have an open discussion about when and where to incorporate AI into your work and when not to. Similarly, teachers who use AI to lesson plan and refuse to pull back the curtain on this process miss out on an opportunity to teach students how to use AI. I recently asked Gemini to “please pretend to be a lipid soluble hormone, specifically testosterone, and write a song in the style of Taylor Swift, from the perspective of the hormone, describing what happens once you are released (and from where), how you enter the cell, moving through the cell membrane (because you are lipid soluble) and then bind to a receptor protein to affect gene expression.” The song it created was hilarious and memorable, but was it accurate? As I was initially drafting the instructions for the class, I told them not to worry, I had checked the lyrics and they were biologically valid. But then I paused. Had I kept this in the instructions I would have missed an important teachable moment: pressing students to check for accuracy. Instead, I told my students I used AI to write several songs, but we couldn’t trust that what was created was accurate. Checking for accuracy became their job and they jumped right in. By modeling how I used AI to create the lesson along with sharing possible pitfalls of the tool, I was not only helping students understand signal transduction pathways, I was teaching a transferable skill: approaching AI-generated content with a discerning eye. Responsible Use: The Association of Academic Leaders February AI meetup, hosted by Sarah Hanawald, highlighted advice from Venable, the law firm, on things to consider when crafting your school’s policy when it comes to generative AI (Pass & Sykes, 2024). There are a myriad of issues to address: from student privacy to when and where AI is used. Should there be different standards for use on a document that is generated right before class, solely for a teacher’s use during that period, compared with an article shared on the school website? I would think so, but I’m also not a lawyer. Understanding how a generative AI tool stores and uses the data that users feed into it is important, especially when it comes to concerns about copyright and student privacy. At the Loomis Chaffee AI Conference: Navigating Uncertainty, Embracing Possibility: AI in Independent Schools, one of the presenters shared how he protects student privacy by replacing the names of his students with famous musicians or athletes on work that he uploads and ask AI to evaluate. Sharing hacks like this can be a stop gap for protecting student privacy, but schools need to carve out time to work on these policies as well as educate faculty and staff on how to engage with these policies. Given the pace of change in what is possible with Generative AI, these policies need to be living documents, regularly reviewed for compliance with local laws. Collaboration: Given the explosion of generative AI tools, it can be easy to feel overwhelmed and like it is impossible to keep up with what is happening in the field. That tsunami of possibilities can drown curiosity courtesy of choice paralysis. How do you even decide which AI tool to use or to team up with? Take advantage of the saying ‘many hands make light work’ by having an AI Discovery committee made up of constituents that represent all aspects of your school community: faculty, students, staff and even current parents and alumni. Ask each member of the committee to focus on one tool or follow one critical thinker in the field and every other week update a launch pad with a “tiny gem” or notable update on this tool. Prior to meeting as a group, members can read over the launch pad to see what fellow members have added. Now this is where you might ask “couldn’t AI just do that for me?” Yup, it sure could. But, I would argue that in this case having the person who vet those sources be someone who understands your school culture and mission matters. The current boom in generative AI presents both exciting opportunities and significant challenges for the academic community. As educators, we have a responsibility to embrace transparency, promote responsible use, and foster collaboration within our schools to harness the power of AI while mitigating potential risks (a task that makes lunch duty seem like a breeze!). By modeling critical thinking and open communication, we can empower future generations to navigate this rapidly evolving technological landscape and ensure that AI serves as a tool for learning and progress, expanding the realm of what is possible in education and promoting critical thinking. Sources:
Hawley, M. (2023). The Complete Generative AI Timeline: History, Present and Future Outlook. CMSWire.Com. Retrieved February 29, 2024, from https://www.cmswire.com/digital-experience/generative-ai-timeline-9-decades-of-notable-milestones/ Caryn G. Pass & Ashley E. Sykes. (2024, February 29). Emerging Employee and Student Handbook Updates for the 2024-2025 School Year | Insights | Venable LLP. Venable.Com. https://www.venable.com/insights/publications/2024/02/emerging-employee-and-student-handbook-up UC Museum of Paleontology Understanding Evolution. (n.d.). The Cambrian explosion. Retrieved February 29, 2024, from https://evolution.berkeley.edu/the-cambrian-explosion/ |
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