Episode 58
Exploring AI, Assessment Gaps, and K12 Innovation
Brief description of the episode
In this episode, Dan Cogan-Drew, Co-founder and Chief Academic Officer at Newsela, shares insights on how technology can genuinely support teachers and make learning more engaging for students. Dan discusses AI in education, explaining how it can be a useful tool when thoughtfully applied, and shares practical advice for school leaders on trying new tools without overwhelming teachers or students.
Key Takeaways:
- When developing products, it’s crucial to ensure they fit into teachers’ and students’ current routines and systems.
- Focus on providing content that adds value to the curriculum without replacing it, making it easier for teachers to use.
- The product should offer content that aligns with what teachers are already teaching.
- Tools should work well with classroom practices and larger district goals to improve long-term outcomes like literacy.
- The development process should ensure teachers understand how to use the product to reach their goals, track progress, and improve learning.
- With many tech options available, the focus should be on clear, effective integration, helping schools make smart choices about how to use their resources.
- AI should be used to solve specific problems in the classroom, not as a solution looking for a problem.
- It’s better to experiment with AI in non-core areas or dedicated spaces, not directly in the core curriculum.
- Teachers should avoid rushing to use AI and focus on identifying use cases where AI can effectively help.
- Using AI as a discussant or dialogue partner is more effective than using it as a tool for generating simple tasks.
- Teachers should carefully define their use cases for AI, ensuring it’s being used to address specific challenges rather than as a distraction.
- Core instructional time is precious, so it’s important to differentiate between serious work and playtime when incorporating AI.
- Feedback from assessments should be used to guide the next steps in students’ learning.
- Backward mapping is a key approach, where teachers plan assessments based on the final goal, and then structure the learning to help students meet that goal.
- After assessments, teachers should provide extra help to students who need it and challenge those who are ready to move ahead.
- Teachers should work together, using assessment data to create plans that fit each student’s current level of understanding.
- Tools that help teachers analyze results and adjust lessons based on data can make assessments more useful and personalized.
- Involving teachers in the assessment process ensures that assessments are not seen as a top-down requirement but as a tool to support student’s growth and success.
- K-12 district leaders should pilot and experiment with new technologies within their district to understand how they work in their specific context.
- Start small by finding teachers who have the capacity and interest to test new tools and technologies on a smaller scale.
- Teachers should be encouraged to identify the assumptions or goals they have about technology and experiment with it in a low-risk, cost-effective way.
- Before rolling out new technology to a large group, test it with a small group or class to gather data and assess its effectiveness.
- Build strong, flexible systems within the district that can adapt to new technologies, as technology adoption often involves significant organizational change.
- It’s important to understand that technology is just one aspect of change, and districts need to focus on managing this change well.
- Districts should remain proactive and ready to adjust to ongoing shifts in the educational landscape.
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