AI Readiness for Educators

I-Think held its first AI Readiness for Educators ?at the Rotman School of Management, University of Toronto in August. The program is designed for and by educators, and based on insights from over 2,000 grades 5-12 students and hundreds of teachers who participated in I-Think’s Artificial Intelligence Challenge Kit Experience in the spring 2024.?

I-Think takes a unique approach to exploring the messy, real-world problems we face – like what AI will mean to us and our future. AI is not a technology that we can just understand conceptually – we need educators and leaders to both learn about it, and to wrestle with the ethics and challenges it brings to the classroom.?

At I-Think, we recognize that Canada’s educators need AI literacy skills and ethical understanding of AI to be equipped to teach and guide young people and future leaders especially as AI technologies become more integrated into daily life. There is an urgent need to prepare students for this reality. So we built a program …?

AI Readiness for Educators explores:

1. AI Literacy: The program demystifies AI technologies, providing educators with a foundational understanding of AI's potential and limitations, including crucial ethical considerations and societal impacts.
2. Skill Development: Using the Integrative Thinking frameworks for problem solving, developed at the University of Toronto, the program equips educators to foster essential skills in students such as creativity, collaboration, and critical thinking - all vital for effectively interacting with AI technologies.
3. Practical Modules: The program includes engaging activities covering topics like large language models, algorithmic bias, and mental models.
4. Problem-Solving Framework: Participants learned to use the Pro-Pro Chart, a critical thinking tool inspired by Integrative Thinking methodology, to explore opposing models of AI integration in education.
5. Collaborative Learning Environment: The workshop is designed specifically for educators and education leaders, providing a space to share insights, develop new ideas, and build valuable connections with peers.

It was a wonderful day packed with thoughtful discussions and sharing of ideas. The feedback from participants was very positive.

The presentation laid out important information about AI. The discussions with my peers and the facilitators helped me gain new perspectives on AI and its use.

I feel confident that I can answer teacher questions about AI and I feel I have enough starting knowledge to research this further on my own

I appreciated the facilitation tools and protocols and it was valuable to chat with other educators about the use of AI in education

I have an increased toolkit to engage with AI and be a part of the discussion. This will help me engage with my students in a meaningful way where they live.

If you would like to bring AI Readiness for Educators to your school board to expand educator’s critical thinking about AI and navigate its role in the classroom and school board by developing nuanced views on AI's educational potential and implications please reach out.

I-Think will be running the Artificial Intelligence Challenge Kit Experience for grades 6-11 this fall and in the spring of 2025. The registration deadline is Oct 4, 2024. Learn more here.