Teach with expert insights on AI, curated by your trusty Teacher’s AIde

Welcome back to Teacher’s AIde, where we're creating new content that is as fresh as the outfits parents send their kindergarteners wearing on the first day of school (though we’d like to believe our content remains much fresher than how said kindergarteners return home).

In this piece, we explore the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD)'s introduction of the AI platform "Ed" to underscore the critical need for parents to navigate AI's integration into education thoughtfully—balancing its potential to enhance learning with vigilance over its risks and shaping a future where technology supplements social, ethical, and cognitive development responsibly.

Ed: LAUSD's AI Boost for Parental Engagement

Los Angeles Unified School District's launch of "Ed," an AI-driven learning acceleration platform, marks a significant advancement in educational technology, offering personalized support for students and a bridge for parental involvement in education. This innovative platform analyzes district data to create customized learning paths and provides targeted alerts to families, ensuring that parents can actively support their children's academic growth. With multilingual capabilities and progress monitoring features, Ed empowers parents with an intuitive tool that simplifies navigating their child’s educational journey. It reinforces the district's commitment to utilizing technology to enhance learning outcomes and foster a collaborative educational environment between students, families, and educators.

In embracing the transformative potential of AI in education, LAUSD’s "Ed" platform allows parents to stand at the forefront of navigating this new digital frontier with their children. Parents must be informed about the rapid advancements in AI and equipped to guide their children in making safe online choices, emphasizing the importance of kindness and respect in interactions with generative AI tools. As AI becomes more integrated into our daily lives and educational systems, parents have a unique opportunity to foster an environment where AI is seen as a tool for enhancing learning and personal growth rather than merely a toy for entertainment. By actively participating in their children's AI literacy and digital citizenship, parents can ensure that the technology balances knowledge while reinforcing the values of responsible engagement with the digital world.

Teaching Kids Online Safety

Parents play a crucial role in establishing safe online habits setting examples for their children by being cautious about the images they share and the personal information they divulge online. A recent New York Times article sheds light on the capabilities of PimEyes, a face search engine that offers a stark reminder of the digital footprints we leave behind. PimEyes allows users to find photos online, revealing images individuals may not want exposed. This service underscores the potential misuse of such technology by bad actors, stressing the importance of discussing and practicing online privacy within families.

While certain platforms and tools within educational systems, like the LAUSD tool, act as 'walled gardens' safeguarding information, the broader internet is not as secure. Freely available or low-cost GPT services pose uncertainties regarding data usage and privacy. Although PimEyes is a tool marketed for individuals to monitor their online presence, it lacks stringent controls to prevent its use for unintended or unethical purposes. The service’s ease of use in uncovering personal images without consent—ranging from casual snapshots at public events to more sensitive content—highlights a broader conversation about digital privacy and the ethical use of technology. As parents navigate this landscape, informing and proactively guiding children toward responsible and safe online behaviors is imperative, emphasizing the significance of consent and privacy in the digital age.

Teaching Kindness Through Prompting

Modeling good behavior when interacting with AI tools extends beyond functionality; it can also support social and emotional development. Swaddle's article highlights the impact of AI voice assistants like Alexa and Siri on children and underscores the crucial role of parents in guiding these interactions. As children often humanize these devices, learning predominantly demand-based forms of communication – Siri, take me to the nearest gas station, or Alexa, turn off the music! –, it becomes essential for parents to demonstrate and encourage kindness and empathy in every interaction with technology. This practice prepares children for a future where technology could become more sentient, or able to perceive, feel, and experience, like people. 

Speaking kindly also ensures kids’ conversations with AI and humans are respectful and thoughtful. The article points to potential social and cognitive development risks, including impaired empathy and critical thinking skills from demand-based AI communication. Parents can mitigate these risks by consciously modeling nuanced and compassionate interactions with AI, fostering an environment where technology enhances, rather than hinders, social development and empathy. This approach aligns with broader educational goals, promoting a balanced and mindful engagement with digital assistants in a way that respects both the technology and the human capacity for kindness and understanding.

Tools Not Toys

Finally, it's paramount for parents to instill in their children the understanding that AI tools are exactly that—tools, not toys, which ought to be navigated with respect and intentionality. The realm of generative AI, vast and multifaceted, offers tremendous benefits ranging from enhancing literacy and mathematical skills to fostering social scenario simulations. However, it also harbors potential pitfalls that could be detrimental if not cautiously approached. The strategy employed by the LAUSD, through the deployment of "Ed," exemplifies a prudent approach to introducing AI: presenting it in digestible, manageable segments tailored for families, students, and educators. This methodology not only safeguards children from the potential hazards associated with unbridled AI interaction but also equips them to become conscientious contributors to the AI ecosystem. By emphasizing AI's expansive nature—acknowledging its capacity for great good and its risks—parents can guide their children in a balanced exploration of AI technologies. The goal is to foster a generation that is both adept at utilizing AI for positive ends and vigilant about its challenges, making AI a manageable and beneficial part of their lives.

As we turn the page to a new chapter, we're pausing our bi-weekly posts to embrace a special time of growth, both for our content and our team. One of us is stepping into the joyous journey of parenthood, while as a team, we're taking this moment to enrich our future stories.

During this interlude, your voice is more important than ever. We'll be reaching out with surveys and inviting direct conversations to hear what sparks your curiosity and what you'd love to explore next in our journey with Teacher’s AIed. Stay tuned and stay connected—your insights will light our path ahead.

Class dismissed!

Lewis Poche & Kourtney Bradshaw-Clay