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Artificial Intelligence

SHINE: Lighting the Way to Responsible AI Adoption

by Miguel Guhlin
written by Miguel Guhlin

Many tech directors fear an influx of popular digital tools due to network security risks and potential crashes. Even known technologies, when updated or hacked, can cause chaos. Recent examples include Crowdstrike’s update that crashed computers and grounded airlines. Controversies in reading and math instruction also highlight the need for caution. Schools must check effectiveness before deploying a new digital tool. The SHINE acronym can help with this evaluation process.

Why You Need the SHINE Framework

“I want ed tech to support my teaching and learning efforts. When it doesn’t, it’s like a walkthrough a minefield. Every misstep can lead to chaos. It disrupts our rhythm and progress.” As I sat across the table from the Director of Mathematics, I was checking off a mental list. The Math Director in a large urban school district wanted to roll out a new program to classrooms. The curriculum director’s focus was on the benefit to students. That is, on what the technology tool COULD do to benefit students. 

As the technology director, my focus was on the impact the technology would have on the teacher. For me, it all boiled down to one question:

Would the technical obstacles prevent the achieving the student benefits?

At that moment, I decided to compile a list of questions. The purpose of those questions? Assist anyone in understanding how technical obstacles can stop learning in its tracks. The list was one page long, arranged into sections. It was a collection of questions that stopped technology implementations. That’s ironic given my role to ease technology integration. But there are many technologies people sell schools that they don’t need.

Today, I wish I had enjoyed access to a framework like SHINE that is easy to remember and apply.

Introducing the SHINE Framework

SHINE is a simple acronym. The letters in the acronym represent these concepts:

  • Suitability. Ensuring solutions are appropriate for their intended purpose.
  • Human Oversight. Maintaining human control and intervention capabilities in system operations.
  • Insight into Data. Understanding the data used by systems for transparency and accuracy.
  • Necessity and Novelty. Justifying the need for solutions and recognizing their innovative aspects.
  • Ethics and Equity. Promoting fairness, justice, and moral principles. These are evident in both the development and deployment of solutions.

For that Math Director, the stumbling block was the “Insight into Data” domain. That is, all the class rostering data involved every teacher importing data. The data, comma-separated values (CSV) files, was necessary for every student group. This made the solution unsuitable for classroom teachers to deploy. 

The rush to put AI in classrooms presents the similar opportunities for failure. Today, single-sign-on (SSO) solutions make it easy to import CSV files for all students. That happens in the background. But let’s take a closer look at SHINE before applying it to AI-powered digital tools.

Tough Questions, Easy Answers

When you ask a tough question, you may get an easy answer. Questions and answers like the following come to mind:

  • Do teachers need to update class rosters on a daily basis to use a software intervention? No
  • Can the Tech Department automate hourly or daily class roster updates in a secure manner? Yes
  • Is the data collected safeguarded against hacking? Yes
  • Does the vendor allow for easy export of data should funding come to an end? Yes
  • Does the District have to poke holes in the firewall or open special ports for the solution to work? No
  • Does this solution make teaching learning more efficient and effective? Yes

When considering SHINE’s five-step framework (get a copy via Canva), think of it as a tool teachers and admins can use. Should we bring an AI-powered tool into the classroom?

Generated by author
Generated by author. See blog entry for link to get a copy.

SHINE Framework Questions

With that in mind, let’s take a look at some of the questions SHINE asks:

Suitability (S)

  • Does the tool align with your curriculum goals and learning objectives?
  • Is the tool compatible with your existing educational platforms and tools?
  • Can the tool get you the desired result without a lot of fine-tuning?

Human Oversight (H)

  • Does the tool allow for human oversight and control?
  • Can you adjust settings and parameters to ensure accuracy and fairness?
  • Does the tool provide transparent and explainable decisions?

Insight into Data (I)

  • What data does the tool collect and use?
  • Is the data transparent, and can you access it for analysis and interpretation?
  • Does the tool provide insights into teacher or student performance or learning?

Necessity and Novelty (N)

  • Is the tool necessary and novel?
  • Does it solve a specific problem or improve teaching and learning in a unique way?
  • Does the tool provide a more efficient and effective way of getting work done? That is, compared to traditional methods?

Ethics and Equity (E)

  • Does the tool follow legal regulations and ethical guidelines?
  • Does the tool promote equity and fairness for all students?
  • Does the tool avoid biases and discriminatory practices?

With these question in mind, schools can have a conversation about bringing AI tools into K-12. Let’s see what SHINE looks like in action.

Created by author
Created by author

SHINE in Action

Let’s apply SHINE from the perspective of three people when considering responses:

  • Classroom teacher
  • Curriculum director
  • Technology director

It might be helpful to apply SHINE to three categories of AI-powered tools. These are finding their way into schools under the guise of productivity or cheating. The categories include:

  • Teacher Helper Tool, such as Eduaide, Khanmigo, MagicSchool
  • AI Chatbot for Writing. Examples include ChatGPT, Pressto, Claude
  • Quiz Tools like Quizlet Plus, Quizizz AI, QuizWizard

Let’s explore each category with SHINE in mind.

Note: You can see a question from each perspective interwoven beneath each letter of SHINE. 

SHINE: Lighting the Way to Responsible AI Adoption

The best way to combat fear is knowledge and ensuring a safe space to assess digital tools pushing their way into K-12 education spaces. The SHINE framework offers a structured approach for evaluating AI-powered education tools. Use this framework to make sure all perspectives are represented before making the big investment in Ed Tech.

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Project Tomorrow Speak Up Survey Details at a Glance
CTO/CIO

How the Speak Up Leader Survey Addresses Digital Equity in Your District

by Dr. Julie A. Evans
written by Dr. Julie A. Evans

With advancements in GenAI and new promises of transformation, effectively integrating educational technology in classrooms and ensuring equitable learning experiences for all students are more crucial than ever. The National Education Technology Plan outlines ambitious goals for digital equity. Achieving them requires actionable insights and informed strategies. Enter the Speak Up Leader Survey, a powerful tool that connects the dots by providing a digital equity readiness report to inform their next steps in closing the three digital divides.

Addressing Digital Inequity in Schools

The SpeakUp Leader Survey helps address the digital divide.

If you are a regular consumer of TechNotes, you will recall last month’s post “The 2024 National Educational Technology Plan (NETP): Closing The Digital Divide.” TCEA’s Government Relations Director Matt Russell outlined all the ways that TCEA members can benefit from the organization’s offerings aligned to the plan’s call to action. 

As a quick refresher, the recently released National Educational Technology Plan (NETP) puts a laser focus on equity concerns in education. It emphasizes how technology could be better used in the classroom to support learning for all students through the lens of three digital divides: access, design, and usage. As a member of the NETP development team, Project Tomorrow is very proud of this focus and the plan’s recommendations for addressing digital inequity. But you may be asking yourself:

  • Are we ready to address the equity challenges?
  • Are we prepared to implement the recommendations in the NETP? 
  • Where do we need to begin? 

Get Your Readiness Report Card

Project Tomorrow, in partnership with TCEA, can help you answer those questions with our new Speak Up Leader Survey. Encourage your district administrators and school building leaders to complete the 15-minute survey. In turn, we will send you a report card on your overall readiness to tackle digital equity in your district. Getting started is as easy as registering your district! Project Tomorrow will send you a customized link for distribution. We’ve even put together this promotional toolkit for TCEA members with messaging to take to your cabinet for approval requests and to help promote participation once approved.

You are invited to preview the survey. Note that Speak Up participation is free to all schools and districts. All data collected is confidential and no single individual can be identified from any submitted entry. Don’t delay. The survey closes on June 21 for TCEA members. 

Speak Up Leader Survey Details at a Glance:

Project Tomorrow Speak Up Survey Details at a Glance

What: Measures readiness to tackle digital equity across the three digital divides outlined in new NETP
Who: District and school administrators, K-12 technology leaders
Why: Receive a Digital Equity Readiness report card and resources to help close the digital divides
When: Open now through June 21, 2024, for TCEA members!

Thank you, TCEA, for your partnership and for supporting Speak Up.

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Get tools, guidance, and resources for meeting cybersecurity risk management standards from K12 SIX's Essentials Series.
CTO/CIOCybersecurity

The K12 SIX Essentials Series for School Cybersecurity

by Miguel Guhlin
written by Miguel Guhlin

Since the start of 2024, there have been 5,300 school districts that suffered a data breach. These schools are all in the United States. In 2021, 56% of schools reported data breaches. In 2022, 80% of schools reported ransomware attacks (source). Almost half resulted in ransom payments (source). Massive data leaks expose sensitive information. This information ends up on the dark web in the hands of nefarious individuals. It is a big money business. Let’s explore a free resource by K12 SIX that’s available to K-12 schools in the United States.

Assessing the Extent of the Problem

Lack of reporting requirements makes it difficult to determine the extent of data breaches. That aside, data leaks affect thousands of teachers, staff, parents, and guardians. In 2023, monetary losses to school districts from cyberattacks ranged from $50K to $1M. This monetary loss is per incident. In 2021, 771 institutions were affected, which is about 2.6 million records (source).

With so much going wrong, what actions can you take? Try this one on for size.

K12 SIX operates as an information sharing and analysis center (ISAC) exclusively for the K-12 education sector. The K12 Security Information eXchange (K12 SIX) is a national nonprofit organization dedicated to protecting the U.S. K-12 community—including school districts, charter schools, private schools, and regional and state education agencies—from emerging cybersecurity threats.

Learn More About K12 SIX

Explore the K12 SIX Essential Series

The K12 SIX Essentials series offers tools and advice for U.S. schools. The goal is to help schools meet basic cybersecurity standards. The resource, devised by K-12 IT experts, includes:

  • Guides on cybersecurity frameworks for K-12 leaders
  • Essential protections and how to implement them for the 2023-2024 school year
  • A self-assessment tool for districts
  • A Cyber Incident Response Guide
  • Info on cybersecurity grants

These resources aim to help leaders manage cybersecurity efforts. With rising cybersecurity threats, protecting schools is vital. The K12 SIX Essentials help districts protect everyone and their data. Combine them with CISA and Google advice.

How to Get the Series

Getting the series of documents (PDF) is easy. Go to their website and fill out the online form. Once you do so, you will be able to access the page with all the PDFs. The intent of these documents is to make a resource more accessible than others available. Others include the MITRE Framework.

The Incident Response Runbook

Several insightful documents are available in the K12 SIX series, but let’s take a closer look at one near and dear to my heart: the Cyber Incident Response Runbook v1.1. It is the resource any CTO will reach for after a data breach or ransomware attack.

Aligned to the NIST Computer Security Incident Response Lifecycle, developed with the input of K-12 IT practitioners, the K12 SIX Essential Cyber Incident Response Runbook is tailored specifically to the needs and context of K-12 organizations. It offers guidance for coordination with internal and external partners, stakeholder communications, and managing student-initiated incidents.

Cybersecurity Guides for Schools

Here are some of the suggested actions in the runbook summarized:

  • Cyber Crisis: What Counts? Identify cyber incidents like technology misuse, phishing, and ransomware attacks.
  • Heroes of the Cyber Front: Roles Defined. Detail roles within the Incident Response Team, including leadership and communications duties.
  • Who You Gonna Call? Cyber Allies! Keep a list of essential contacts, encompassing IT, legal, executive leadership, and law enforcement.
  • Blueprints for Battle: Plan Review. Examine existing emergency, business continuity, and disaster recovery plans.
  • Ready, Set, Communicate: Prep Talk. Prepare communications with draft notifications, update protocols, and alternative communication methods if systems go down.
  • First Clues: Logging the Cyber Trail. Record actions, inform leadership, and secure evidence upon detecting an incident, maintaining the integrity of the investigation.
  • Containment Crew: Sealing the Breach. Isolate compromised systems, disable breached accounts, and apply security controls to limit damage.
  • Virus Vanquishers: Cleaning House. Patch vulnerabilities, remove malware, reset passwords, and potentially rebuild affected systems.
  • Phoenix Protocol: Rising from the Ashes. Restore systems from clean backups, implement new security measures to prevent recurrence, and monitor for signs of re-compromise.
  • Reflections and Lessons from the Cyber Storm. Conduct a post-incident review to identify deficiencies, determine root causes, document lessons learned, and update executive leadership on cybersecurity program improvements.

Each of these areas is elaborated on in more detail within K12 SIX’s Cyber Incident Response Runbook v1.1. Other documents complement this guide in the K12 SIX Essentials series. Definitely check out this approachable series of guides on a topic that is no joke!

Learn More About the K12 Six Essentials Series
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CommunicationCTO/CIOInstructional CoachingLeadership

A Model for Driving Effective Change

by Miguel Guhlin
written by Miguel Guhlin

“I lost my job today,” Emil said as he walked into our meeting. It was the monthly Campus Technology Representatives (CTR) Meeting. Emil was a campus instructional technologist (CIT) whose role was driving effective change and actively promoting instructional uses of technology. He had succeeded in being an instrument for change. But, change is not always welcome. How can you drive effective change without alienating the people you want to see change? It’s a tough question.

The Four Domains of Effective Change

As a technology director, my biggest challenge involved navigating the political dimension. The question wasn’t, “How do I get superintendent approval for a new technology?” Rather, it was, “How do I get classroom teachers and principals to change what they do every day?” If only I had enjoyed a longer perspective, such as the one captured in this chart, the result of interactive prompt engineering with an AI model.

In my experience, these four domains are critical to consider. Without them, no change is successful. Successful change is change that endures for the long term— which is change that works, endures, and is effective.

An Example of Driving Effective Change

To drive effective change, imagine how the four domains might translate into a roadmap. This roadmap gives us a path forward. While one might have the research and the evidence, planning a joint journey forward is where it’s at. I imagine this as a parent trying to get all the kids in the car for a long trip.

In the following scenario adapted from a real situation, a problem emerges. The challenge is one many small school technology directors face. How would you handle it?

The Scenario

At St. John’s campus, a new plan aims to lower teacher stress by cutting their class load from six to five. This move seeks to boost teacher happiness and satisfaction without hiring more staff. The idea is to spread teaching tasks around, including to those not usually teaching. The campus instructional technologist (CIT), who is key to digital learning, faces added teaching duties. This shift worries several staff. They recall when this mix led to burnout and turnover. How can this change work? Is it possible to stop it or speed up?

The Driving Effective Change model offers some suggestions:

1. Vision

Set a clear goal to cut teacher workloads. Talk with everyone involved—teachers, staff, and families—to get their support. Action: Share stories on why instructional technologists are key. They help teachers use tech without stress, keeping work manageable and preventing burnout.

2. Support

Value the instructional technologist role in tangible ways. Action: Push for funding to keep this role. Show how it improves teaching and helps students. Collect and use metrics if possible.

3. Research

Use data to pick teaching methods and tech that meet standards. Make evidence-based teaching normal. Action: Change old ways with digital tools for better teaching. Offer ongoing training to help teachers adapt.

4. Connect

Build a community that embraces tech in teaching. Make sure students, staff, and families feel included and important. Action: Get everyone involved in updating teaching methods. Share how tech changes teaching and learning for the better. Enlist students and staff to tell their stories.

Reflection

If Emil had the support of such a structured process, his job might have been secure. More importantly, the whole campus would have benefited. Looking back, I see there was more I could have done for his success. His team would have enjoyed better, data-informed teaching methods paired with digital tools, and the students would have benefited from improved learning. What’s more, a community of leaders could have grown. See the application of Driving Effective Change Model to Emil’s situation.

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Five pivotal mindset shifts can help tech directors become more effective and efficient leaders!
CTO/CIOLeadership

Five Essential Mindset Shifts for Tech Leaders in Education

by Dr. Bruce Ellis
written by Dr. Bruce Ellis

Leading any team or organization can definitely be a challenging task, regardless of your position within the hierarchy. The responsibilities that come with being a director of a department or a CEO can often feel overwhelming, especially when navigating the complexities of decision-making, resource management, and team dynamics. However, with the right approach and mindset, you can effectively manage and even mitigate some of these stressors, operating more efficiently and leading more effectively. Let’s look at five different mindsets to consider shifting to this year.

1. From Fire-Fighting to Future-Planning

Peter Drucker says, “The best way to predict the future is to create it.” That is what the new Future-Planning mindset is all about. Fire-fighting in a technology leadership context often involves reacting to immediate problems as they arise. This can mean constant troubleshooting, dealing with daily tech crises, or addressing user complaints without a moment to pause. It’s a reactive mode where strategic planning takes a backseat to urgent tasks that demand instant attention. However, the future-planning mindset is about proactively setting a course for the future of technology within the school district. It involves understanding long-term educational goals and aligning technology initiatives to support these objectives. This strategic approach helps anticipate needs, mitigate risks before they become issues, and ensure that the technology infrastructure is robust and scalable to meet future demands.

In order to make the shift, consider these three steps:

How to shift from a fire-fighting to a future-planning mindset.
  1. Evaluate and Prioritize: Take stock of the current technological challenges and distinguish which are merely urgent from those that are important. Prioritize initiatives that align with long-term educational goals.
  2. Develop a Roadmap: Craft a strategic technology roadmap that outlines progress milestones. This roadmap should dovetail with the district’s educational objectives and include input from a wide range of stakeholders.
  3. Foster Forward Thinking: Instill a culture of anticipatory and strategic thinking within your team. Encourage and support training that focuses on future trends and strategic implications of today’s tech decisions.

As you work to make this mindset shift, set aside dedicated time each week to focus solely on strategic planning. This time should be uninterrupted and treated as a critical part of your role. It’s the space where you can think deeply about the ‘big picture’ and how each step you take is building towards it.

2. From Hands-On to Hands-Off

The hands-on approach typically involves a leader who is deeply involved in the day-to-day operational tasks, often taking on technical problems directly. This can include personally managing IT projects, troubleshooting, and getting involved in the details of technology management, which leaves little room for broader leadership responsibilities. Embracing a hands-off approach allows a leader to step back and focus on strategic leadership, which can lead to better resource allocation, more effective team development, and the ability to guide larger, district-wide technology initiatives. It emphasizes the importance of empowering team members to take ownership of tasks and make decisions, fostering a sense of responsibility and professional growth.

Because this shift may be a struggle for many, keep in mind these three steps that are critical to a successful transformation:

How to shift from a hands-on to a hands-off mindset.
  1. Delegate Effectively: Identify tasks that can be delegated to team members with the right skills and experience. Clearly communicate expectations and provide the necessary resources for them to succeed.
  2. Empower Your Team: Build confidence in your team by providing opportunities for decision-making and problem-solving. Encourage autonomy while maintaining support and guidance when needed.
  3. Monitor Progress: Keep track of delegated tasks and projects with regular check-ins, rather than constant oversight. This ensures accountability without micromanagement.

Steve Jobs captured the essence of this mindset shift when he said, “It doesn’t make sense to hire smart people and then tell them what to do; we hire smart people so they can tell us what to do.” Learn to rely on the collective intelligence and expertise of your team. And, as you can imagine, trust is key in a hands-off approach. Build trust with your team by demonstrating confidence in their abilities and being open to their methods of problem-solving, which may differ from your own.

3. From Quick Fixes to Creating Ecosystems

If you have a quick fix mindset, then you might find that you focus on temporary solutions to immediate problems, often without addressing the underlying issues. In a technology context, this might involve patching software, hastily implementing new tools without full integration into existing systems, or repeatedly solving the same problems without long-term improvement. The shift towards creating ecosystems involves developing and implementing comprehensive, integrated systems that address the root causes of issues and support the broader educational goals. It’s about seeing the technology landscape as a holistic entity, where each part works seamlessly with the others, enhancing efficiency, scalability, and user experience.

Quick fixers may find it difficult to slow down and focus on the bigger picture so think about following these three steps to help ease the pain of change:

How to shift from a quick fix to an ecosystem mindset.
  1. Analyze Systemically: Look beyond the surface to understand the interconnectedness of your technology systems. Identify how changes or additions affect the ecosystem as a whole.
  2. Plan Holistically: Design technology solutions with the big picture in mind. Ensure that new tools or processes are fully integrated into your existing infrastructure, supporting and enhancing the overall ecosystem.
  3. Implement Sustainably: Roll out new systems or updates in a way that ensures long-term sustainability. This includes thorough testing, training for users, and ongoing support to maintain and improve the system over time.

As you work on creating more integrated systems, ensure that your ecosystem can evolve with new technologies and educational needs without requiring a complete overhaul. Bill Gates sums this up well with his insight related to the quick fix mindset when he said, “The first rule of any technology used in a business is that automation applied to an efficient operation will magnify the efficiency. The second is that automation applied to an inefficient operation will magnify the inefficiency.” Let this be the year that you transition to a mindset that magnifies efficient ecosystems that produce long-term results.

4. From Ad Hoc to Accountable

This approach is characterized by making decisions or solving problems through improvised solutions without a consistent plan or policy in place. In technology leadership, this might manifest as sporadic technology updates, inconsistent implementation of software across departments, or reactive policies that change frequently without clear direction. This may be the default mindset because you are understaffed, overworked, and overwhelmed trying to keep things together. Shifting to an accountable mindset means establishing clear, consistent policies and procedures for technology use and management within the school district. It involves creating a structured framework that governs decision-making, ensures compliance with regulations, and aligns with educational objectives. This approach enhances transparency, reliability, and trust among all stakeholders.

This mindset shift doesn’t happen overnight so give yourself time as you move through these steps to establish an accountable mindset that will serve you well:

How to shift from an ad hoc to an accountable mindset.
  1. Establish Clear Policies: Develop comprehensive technology policies that address usage, security, privacy, and ethics. Ensure these policies are well-documented and accessible to all stakeholders.
  2. Implement Governance Structures: Set up governance bodies or committees that include representatives from various stakeholder groups. These bodies should oversee technology decisions, ensuring they align with policies and the district’s educational goals.
  3. Monitor and Evaluate: Regularly review and assess the effectiveness of technology policies and governance structures. Be open to feedback and willing to make adjustments to respond to new challenges or opportunities.

Consistency is key in transitioning to an accountable approach. Ensure that all decisions and policies are consistently applied across the district, which builds a foundation of trust and reliability in your technology leadership. Rosalynn Carter, former First Lady of the United States, offered a powerful perspective on leadership saying, “A leader takes people where they want to go. A great leader takes people where they don’t necessarily want to go, but ought to be.” Through your consistent work on developing an accountable mindset, you will help take your staff and district where they ought to be.

5. From Current Operations to Pioneering Innovation

Focusing on current operations involves managing and maintaining the current technological infrastructure and processes. It’s about ensuring that the day-to-day technology needs of the school district are met, which is crucial but can become a limiting perspective if it’s the sole focus. Shifting towards pioneering innovation means looking beyond the immediate and existing technological landscape to explore and implement new technologies and approaches that can transform educational experiences. It’s about embracing change, being forward-thinking, and seeking opportunities to leverage technology in ways that enhance learning, teaching, and administration. Though we might enjoy predictability and knowing what to expect, adopting this mindset can free us to help our district realize more potential. 

For this mindset, you will want to have folks around you who can offer insights from their perspectives. By doing so and following these steps, you can be that pioneering innovator:

How to shift from a current operations mindset to a pioneer mindset.
  1. Cultivate a Culture of Innovation: Encourage experimentation and the exploration of new ideas within your team. Celebrate creative thinking and the willingness to try new approaches, even if they don’t always succeed.
  2. Stay Informed and Connected: Keep abreast of the latest trends in educational technology by attending conferences, participating in professional networks, and reading industry literature. Bringing fresh ideas into the district is easier when you know what’s out there.
  3. Implement Pilot Programs: Test out new technologies or teaching methods on a small scale before rolling them out district-wide. Pilot programs can provide valuable insights into what works and what doesn’t, allowing for adjustments before significant resources are committed.

William Pollard, a physicist, priest, and member of the Manhattan Project, remarked, “Without change, there is no innovation, creativity, or incentive for improvement.” Those who initiate change will have a better opportunity to manage the change that is inevitable. Learn to have this mindset so that you can be a part of managing the very change that needs to take place to take your students to the next level. Innovation is rarely a quick or linear process. It requires time, experimentation, and sometimes, a tolerance for failure. The key is to learn from each experience and to keep pushing forward. Be patient and persistent.

What mindset will you adopt?

As technology leaders in the dynamic realm of education, it’s essential to pause and reflect on our current approaches to leadership and management. Each of these five mindsets presents a unique lens through which to examine our practices. Consider which of these shifts resonates most with your current situation. Which aspects of your leadership style might be rooted in reactive, short-term thinking? How could embracing a more strategic, forward-looking approach benefit your team, your students, and the broader educational community? Making the commitment to shift your mindset is the first step toward transformative leadership that not only addresses today’s challenges but also anticipates and innovates for the future of education.

And, if you need to connect with others in the process as you consider the transition, be sure to take advantage of the TCEA Community group just for CTOs and Technology Directors.

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Colorful graphic with title "How to Create a Responsible Use Policy for AI" and subtitle "Explore a 9-step process and 10+ resources"
Artificial Intelligence

How to Create a Responsible Use Policy for AI

by Emily Horn
written by Emily Horn

It’s become more and more apparent that artificial intelligence (AI) is now a part of our everyday lives. Whether used for personal or professional reasons, AI serves many purposes and can help with or complete a variety of tasks – for educators and students. But there are benefits and risks involved, especially when it comes to data privacy and ethical use. Many schools and districts are considering or developing AI policy. Some have blocked AI altogether for both teachers and students.

But just as it was important when we moved to 1:1 devices in school settings, like it or not, it’s more important than ever before for schools to guide students and staff in learning to use AI responsibly and ethically rather than just blocking it. Let’s take a look at how we can build a foundation for acceptable, responsible use in schools through responsible use policies and help our students build good digital habits and become even more responsible digital citizens. 

What Is a Responsible Use Policy (RUP)?

An RUP, also known as RUA (Responsible Use Agreement), is a formalized agreement that focuses on good digital citizenship habits and responsible use of technology. In contrast to an AUP (acceptable use policy), which outlines “dos” and “don’ts” and provides “sanctions” for misuse, an RUP intentionally focuses more on “dos.” Instead of the spotlight shining on what’s acceptable, it’s about students being responsible. Of course, it is still important for students to know who to contact about unsafe or inappropriate content or use. It is also important for them to know what will happen should they do something that doesn’t align with the RUP. 

TCEA’s Miguel Guhlin points out that any misuse of technology (not just misuse of AI) should be addressed as it arises in alignment with a school’s holistic discipline policy. The same goes with academic integrity. Guhlin suggests taking a Restorative Justice approach should misuse arise. “School districts need to have aspirational documents. Misuse of AI should not be handled as a separate instance of discipline or given its own punishments.” I have to say, I completely agree.

All this is great. But how should a school approach AI when it comes to technology policy?  

How to Integrate AI into an RUP  

As you begin, it is important to reference your state association of school board’s policies, which have already been reviewed by a legal team, and any policy-related resources.

1. Form a committee of multiple stakeholders.

Intentionally form a committee with teachers, students, parents, administrators, technology staff, and members of the larger community represented. Ensure that there is more than one member who has experience with and knowledge of AI.

2. Gather resources (articles, podcasts, etc.) about the responsible use of AI to review and process together. 

Review resources to expand the committee members’ understanding and views of how AI can be used by students to deepen learning. Explore responsible, safe, and ethical uses of AI in schools. 

3. Determine appropriate “best” uses for AI that align with your school/district values.

After the committee has reviewed resources, discuss, clarify, and determine ethical, safe, and responsible ways students can use AI for learning purposes and their academic growth in your school setting. 

4. Review current policy and discuss how and where language about AI should be incorporated. 

Where do the committee’s determinations about AI use fit into current policy? How should the current policy be adjusted to reflect expectations for AI use moving forward? Revise and update the policy to outline and reflect expectations for the responsible and safe use of AI. 

5. Solicit feedback on the drafted policy from the community. 

Once the policy has been revised and updated, present the policy to the community and any governing bodies for feedback. It is important to actively listen to and hear concerns, feedback, and additional perspectives. 

6. Edit, revise, and finalize the policy based on feedback. 

Construct a final draft to submit for approval. Be prepared to provide background information, resources, research, and reasoning. In other words, be prepared for success or for additional changes to be made to the policy.

7. Once approved, publish the policy for students and parents to sign. 

Once the policy has been approved and adopted, formalize it and provide it to staff, parents, and students, requiring students and parents to sign the policy. 

8. Provide ongoing training and professional learning for staff. 

In order for students to be taught to use AI safely, ethically, and responsibly, teachers must receive proper training and professional learning in this area. Educators should also receive content-specific training so they can employ safe AI tools and best practices when integrating AI into lessons, projects, and assignments.

9. As the AI (and technology) landscape continues to evolve, review the policy frequently. 

A policy is a living document that should be revisited regularly and updated when necessary to reflect up-to-date research, tools, uses, and best practices. Be prepared for the use of AI to be an ongoing and ever-changing conversation within the school community, meaning your policy will likely need adjusting.

A colorful infographic showing the 9 steps for Integrating AI into technology use policies from the article.
Download the PDF.

Resources for Creating an RUP

AI4K12.org: This is an initiative working to develop national guidelines for AI in K-12, a resource directory for AI instruction, and a community focused on AI in K-12 settings. There are many resources provided, such as posters, graphics, big ideas, activity guides, books, reports, and more. This site is worth spending some time on! 

Classroom Policies for AI Generative Tools: This is such an interesting resource! Lance Eaton has created a crowdsourced document where educators can submit their course guidelines and policies on AI to be added to a 37+ page list. Most of the submissions are from high education sources, but this insight can certainly help us prepare our secondary students for what’s to come and give us some ideas for K-12 settings. 

TeachAI.org: This brand new organization (steered by Code.org, ETS, ISTE, Khan Academy, and World Economic Forum) is working to bring together numerous associations, companies, organizations, government agencies, and more for the purpose of producing guidelines for teaching with AI, to create a framework for computer science that includes AI, and to provide reports, webinars, and meetings about AI.   

Artificial Intelligence and the Future of Teaching and Learning: Insights and Recommendations (May 2023): This report by The Office of Educational Technology offers insights and recommendations “ to engage teachers, educational leaders, policy makers, researchers, and educational technology innovators and providers as they work together on pressing policy issues that arise as Artificial Intelligence (AI) is used in education.” I’d recommend taking a look at this report and reading some of the associated blog posts. 

AI Acceptable Use Policy for English Language Arts (May 2023): This article by Alice Keeler provides a great resource for teachers whose schools may not have a schoolwide policy on AI just yet. This example classroom policy clearly outlines guidelines, violations, acceptable uses, and example prompts (acceptable and unacceptable). In my opinion, this is a great reference! 

Writing School AI Policies? Use these 10+ Resources (June 2023): In this article by Matt Miller, you’ll find a ton of resources on the ethical, responsible, and safe use of AI for both teachers and students. Resources include publications from UNESCO and MIT, as well as several books and online courses.

AI Exploration for Educators: There is a wealth of information (like this Bringing AI to School: Tips for School Leaders guide) in this compilation of guides, blog posts, podcasts, studies, and more by ISTE. This is a great place to start looking into how AI can be used, to explore ethical questions and risks, and to get practical information. 

Artificial Intelligence in K12 (Spring 2023): In this comprehensive report by CoSN, review challenges with defining AI, AI in education today, questions and considerations for schools, the potential of AI, and various resources.  

AI + Ethics Curriculum for Middle School: With a growing career landscape in the field of artificial intelligence, MIT has created an open-source curriculum with lessons and activities on both the technical aspects of AI and its ethical considerations.  

Setting Conditions for Success: Creating Effective Responsible Use Policies for Schools (2022): In this document published by CoSN in collaboration with ISTE, Digital Citizenship Coalition, and the Association of Technology Leaders in Independent Schools, you’ll be taken through the examples of what to do and what not to do, see tips on what to include and how to create an effective policy, and you’ll see examples of template for elementary and secondary students. This is more of a generic example that isn’t necessarily related to AI.

Additional Reading on AI:

TechNotes Articles:

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two women speaking
CTO/CIOLeadership

Becoming a Technology Director

by Miguel Guhlin
written by Miguel Guhlin

Are you ready to make your next career move? Want to know how you can achieve escape velocity and get into the tech director orbit? Every other week, someone will ask me, “How do I begin my journey to becoming a technology director?” When I left the classroom, my goal was not to become a technology director. Rather, it was to learn what I needed to know. Every time I thought I knew enough, I would find out I did not. Then, I realized that I needed the authority and responsibility to advance teaching, learning and leading with technology. Why couldn’t the current technology director get the job done? Why did students and staff have to wait on time-sensitive solutions? These all motivated me to keep learning.

Photo by ThisisEngineering RAEng on Unsplash

If you are on a similar journey, you may find the following tips useful. After reflecting on my journey, I’d like to share those insights. In this short blog entry, I’ll share some of what I’ve learned. The rest, you may need to discover on your own.

Did You Know?

Sign up for one of our Google Certified Educator certifications. You’ll learn about more than Google Meet, as well as earn 12 CPE hours per course. Use these courses to get Google Educator certified. Find out more online.

Planning for Success

You can divide the steps to success in myriad ways. Here are the steps as I see them:

  • Achieve escape velocity
  • Prepare well
  • Distinguish between management and leadership

Let’s take a moment to review what each of these mean.

achieve

#1 – Achieve Escape Velocity

Are you familiar with the term, “escape velocity?” It popped into my head one sunny afternoon. A technology applications teacher was sitting in my air-conditioned portable building quizzing me. She asked, “How did you get to where you are?” The question took me back in time. I realized that my journey was completely different than what her’s. That said, it had some similarities. The first is that she would have to achieve escape velocity:

In physics, escape velocity is the least speed needed for an object to escape. Escape from what? Escape from the gravitational influence of a massive body. The escape velocity from Earth is about 11.186 km/s (6.951 mi/s; 40,270 km/h; 25,020 mph) at the surface.

When your boss, your organization thinks they know you so well that you have little more to offer, how do you escape? How do you achieve escape velocity? The truth is, you will have to leave. Instead of claiming the comfort and shelter of a familiar space, you will need to embark on a journey. And, as Bilbo Baggins told Frodo in Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings:

“It’s a dangerous business, Frodo, going out your door. You step onto the road, and if you don’t keep your feet, there’s no knowing where you might be swept off to.”

That’s the truth. If you’re OK with that, then follow these steps:

Consider this self-assessment for chief technology officers and staff. How do you measure up?

achieve

#2 – Prepare Well

Ready to go to your first interview? Before you say “Yes,” ask yourself about the following:

  • Is there a roadmap to success that identifies best path, common roadblocks and detours?
  • Do you have an eportfolio? That is, a digital portfolio that highlights your strengths? That identifies areas of growth? Each illustrated with real life examples from your experience?
  • Have you aligned your skills, certifications, and experiences to the job announcement expectations? Do you know YOUR stuff?

This can be the challenge. You are going to spend a lot of time preparing for the job. While some people “luck into” the job because of the relationships they have, you will need to know your stuff. And, there is no quicker way to find out what you lack in experience than real-world situations. Get the experience before you start a new job.

Here are the ABCs of preparing well:

A- Build Your PLN

One way to start is to build your professional learning network (PLN). The toughest challenge isn’t keeping up with the technology. Rather, it is understanding how to leverage it for your organization. In the past, we faced limits. Now, learning isn’t restricted to a special event bound by time and place.

Our learning takes us beyond a meeting, or a conference or from 8:00 to 3:30 PM when school is in session. Today, we tap into a flow of conversation, a web-based learning ecology, that we can learn from 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

B- Seek Insight

Leaders often face a blind spot. Ask yourself how much you know about the real story compared to what your current leader does. Chances are, you have some operational details they would love to have but no one wants to tell them. You may want to read First Things First: A Technology Leader’s First Steps blog entry.

When you can’t gain insight, try to learn as much as you can. Refer to Wakelet collection for links to resources.

C- Learn All You Can, Then Practice It

Get free professional learning or low-cost online via YouTube and other sources. Some websites and resources include:

achieve

TCEA Certification Courses

TCEA PD Events

Technical Resources

#3 – Management vs Leadership

The questions you start with determine where you end up. For example, you could ask the following:

  • How do you bring about change in an organization that doesn’t want to change?
  • How do you start and put in place projects to achieve success?
  • How do you change policies and procedures, or work around them?

Or, you might ask, “How can I build relationships with everyone to increase the trust factor? How will othes perceive me when I deliver on my word and get things done in a strategic way? How can I have crucial conversations that build mutual purpose and respect?” These are all powerful questions to ask. You may end up answering all.

One of my favorite fables for leadership is Kotter’s Our Iceberg is Melting. Here’s a quick video overview:

achieve

Watch video

This is an amazing fable with profound implications. Be sure to read the book.

Here’s a tip. When you have to exert top down authority that your organization has granted you, you’re done. Time to reflect on your mistakes, and begin again elsewhere.

You will need relationship smarts to navigate any number of roadblocks and challenges. If challenges were dances, your dance card would be full up. You must learn to dance with change and love it even when you get stepped on, kicked, or worse.

achieve

Some of my favorite topics include:

And this list only scratches the surface. What do you do when principals complain about tardy equipment deliveries? How do you tell the superintendent it’s the warehouse’s fault, not your technicians? It’s all about emotional intelligence, trust, and relationships. Management of complex projects is one thing. Leadership is another.

Ready to start?

Still motivated to pursue a technology director position? Your journey may be only beginning. Keep hold of your tenacity, determination, and lifelong learning ambition. You’ll need them.

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ed tech appreciation day
CTO/CIOTechnical Support

Celebrate Ed Tech Appreciation Day!

by Jennifer Bergland
written by Jennifer Bergland

Did you know that this year, December 4 is Ed Tech Day? Observed in early December, the day is designed to celebrate the professionals who support the use of technology within a school district.

The celebration includes a wide range of hardworking professionals such as hardware and software technicians, network administrators, webmasters, database and lab managers, teachers, librarians, instructional technologists, administrators, and others. You might quickly think of all the professionals who facilitate your teaching and your students’ learning. Showing them how much they matter is the purpose of Ed Tech Appreciation Day.

Recognizing Dedication

This is a day intended for schools, districts, and communities to show their appreciation for the professionals who help make learning happen through technology.

In 2015, Ed Tech Appreciation Day was even officially recognized in the state of Texas. Here’s how we described the importance of the event then:

Education Technology Appreciation Day is important for two reasons. First, our technology teams play a critical role in providing rich learning opportunities for our students. Long hours of work and planning go into the set up and maintenance of networks, hardware, software, and other elements necessary for digital learning. The establishment of a day honoring technology staff communicates our appreciation of their efforts and their importance in our schools.
Second, recognizing the work of technology experts helps spread the word about the use of technology in our schools. Districts often struggle to provide the best possible tools for teaching and learning with limited budgets. Additional support, especially with broadband and other infrastructure challenges, is needed in order to help schools contend with the increasing demands and expenses associated with digital learning. Both for appreciating the professionals who support our teachers and students and for raising awareness about the need for more technology dollars, Education Technology Appreciation Day is a perfect opportunity to celebrate the amazing things happening on campuses all of Texas.

TechNotes, 2015

Want to celebrate this year? Check out our ideas below.

Showing Appreciation

Pick a day to celebrate this December and show your appreciation! In 2018, we outlined a few ideas for recognizing your remarkable ed tech professionals. You can explore them here.

  • Throw a party with all their favorite treats. Invite your superintendent and other district administrators to demonstrate the district’s support.
  • Offer chair massages in 15-minute slots.
  • Create a video/trailer of all the technology being used in your classrooms, or one with students, staff, parents, and administrators thanking them.
  • Have your local school board or city council issue an official proclamation honoring their service to the district.
  • Give them gift cards to local restaurants, Starbucks, or their favorite geek store.
  • Create a basket that teachers can fill with treats and goodies. Homemade cookies are always the right answer!
  • Ask students to create a 3D-printed trophy honoring their work and let the students make the trophy presentation. Check out these sample files of trophies. 
  • Create posters recognizing them and display them around the school and local businesses.
  • Have students and teachers answer this question on Twitter: “What would we do without our tech team?” Add these hashtags #tceahero and #EdTechApprecationDay.
  • Offer an early release day for the technology team. 
  • Place a banner on the district website announcing the day and thanking the technology employees.

How do you celebrate the folks who keep your classrooms connected? Let us know in the comments below!

unsplash-logoPhoto: Gaelle Marcel
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Speak Up
CTO/CIOEducational Trends

Insights Learned From Your Speak Up Data

by Jennifer Bergland
written by Jennifer Bergland

I am going to be very up front with my intention in writing this blog. My goal is to persuade school district technology directors or other administrators to seriously consider having their school or district participate in the annual Speak Up Survey.

Speak Up is a research tool districts use to learn what students, educators, parents, and the community have to say about educational issues. Yes, there are quite a few questions on the survey that deal with technology, but there are many other types of questions that will provide you with some much-needed insight into the attitudes of your stakeholders.

For example, in last year’s survey, they asked several questions about social and emotional learning. They also asked students how they prefer to learn subjects like math or science. Oh, and did I tell you that the survey is completely free and that they make it really easy for your district to participate? 

A Texas-Sized School District

In order to help you see how a school district administrator could use this data, I’m going to take the state of Texas’ data and pretend I am the technology director of the “Texas School District,” covering the entire state. Let’s see what the data tells me about my district or what questions come to mind when I review the data.

Community 

First, I’m very interested in the use of technology in my community. 78% of the members of my community use the internet to conduct research and 76% use mobile apps. 75% of my community use technology to watch an online video to learn how to do something. This tells me that a large portion of my community has internet access and is using it for research and to learn new things. However, it appears there is still some type of digital divide in my community. Is it an access or a skill problem, or both? I’m also surprised that only 26% of my community say they use Twitter. Since I spend a large amount of time on Twitter, I had assumed others did, too. This lets me know that I need to use a wider variety of social media to communicate with the members of my community. 

Students

There are a series of questions in the survey that are posed to middle and high school students to see how often they seek ways to learn something because of their interests. This helps me see how students are using technology when they are looking for specific information or want to learn a skill. Only 9% of both middle and high school students post a question on a discussion board or a forum. Do we need to be more intentional in using this type of application? Do they just not know how, or have they found better ways to seek answers to their questions?  

There are a greater number of students who are researching the internet for information: 32% of middle schoolers and 42% of high school students. Students are also using YouTube and other video services to learn how to do something. 42% of my middle school students and 57% of my high school students often use videos to teach them a skill. I need to talk to the instructional staff to see if we are taking advantage of this type of technology. Should we be posting short videos that teach one of the standards our students are struggling with? If so, what skills do my teachers need to know in order to do this and what technology do they need?

Teachers

Speaking of teachers, I really want to know what they are doing with technology. The data tells me that 45% of them are customizing digital content they find online to meet their students’ needs. This sounds an awful like Open Educational Resources (OER). Hmm, maybe we need to have more conversations about OER.

SpeakUp I also discovered that 43% of my teachers are facilitating student collaboration projects using online tools. This is such a great skill. How can I leverage these teachers to help other teachers do this as well? Also, I’m pleasantly surprised that 44% of my teachers are using an online curriculum. However, I want to know more. What is the frequency? Are they occasionally doing this or is this something they use every day? I also want to know what they are using. Are they using the district’s Learning Management System, or is it an online textbook? 

I am a little disappointed that only 9% of my teachers are creating their own online professional learning networks. I had pretty high hopes that platforms like Twitter could help connect educators, especially those who may be the only one that teach their subject at their school. Maybe I need to do my own survey to see if, in fact, that is the case. Maybe the 9% are the teachers who do not have a colleague at their school that teaches their subject. Sounds like I need to do some more digging. 

Finally, there is one question I am very interested in. It asks the teachers what they need to more efficiently and effectively speakupintegrate digital content, tools, and resources into their daily instruction. 51% said they wished they had a classroom set of digital devices. 49% said they needed to know that their students had adequate broadband access outside of school and 46% indicated they were concerned that they didn’t have consistent, reliable internet access within school. Maybe I need to have my staff do some focus groups related to internet access and speed. Looking at my network resources, they should have adequate bandwidth, but maybe something is happening on campus that I am not aware of. While my team is on campus, I probably should also have them ask teachers about the availability of technical support since 47% of the teachers indicated it was lacking. And lastly, my teachers still need time to plan with their colleagues (60%) and additional professional development (50%).  I need more staff to be able to meet this need! 

Whew, I learned this much in less than an hour by looking at this data. This will come in handy when I go to the superintendent and tell her I need more funding to do the things she wants me to do. It will also help me know where I need to place my time and energy. 

Your Turn

Seriously, I gained this information in less than an hour. Just think what you and your team could glean from your district’s data. 

If nothing else, I hope you will sign up to watch one of their webinars so that you can learn more about the survey and how it can assist you in your work. On October 23, you can watch the livestream of Julie Evans, the CEO of Project Tomorrow, provide a congressional briefing on the latest data. Julie does an excellent job of weaving a story with the data. She is always extremely interesting. In addition, check out this site for other webinars the Speak Up team is hosting. 

Register Now

The Speak Up survey is open until June 30, 2020. What are you waiting for? Register today!

Photos of student and teachers by Brooke Cagle on Unsplash

Photo of hands and laptop  by Mimi Thian on Unsplash

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system administrators
CTO/CIOTechnical Support

A Conference Built for System Administrators

by Andrew Roush
written by Andrew Roush

When it comes to ed tech, system administrators and tech support professionals are at the center of everything. Frontline educators rely on their school or district’s tech admins to ensure the hardware, software, network, and other infrastructure they need is operational and up to date.

That’s why TCEA’s 2019 System Administrator and Technical Support Conference, October 24–25, is designed to meet the needs of sys admins and tech support. This event offers useful and practical information to individuals like you who provide technical support for PreK-16 educators. It’s not just an ed tech conference; it’s an ed tech conference for you.

Going In-Depth

Ready to geek out? We’ve created a comprehensive package of strands that covers the real-world problems system administrators are encountering while offering solutions they can use. Presenters go in-depth on the innovations, techniques, and tools you need to know. Our strands are targeted to meet your specific needs. Topics discussed will include:

  • BYOD Management
  • Chromebooks
  • Emerging Technologies
  • End User Technical Support
  • Google Apps for EDU Implementation
  • iOS Device Management
  • Network/Wireless Management
  • Security
  • Technology Management and Support
  • Windows

Get Connected

The 2019 Sys Admin conference is also designed to help you connect with your peers. Our attendees include, but aren’t limited to, chief technology officers (CTOs), data managers, information technologists, network engineers, technicians, administrators, tech directors, and more.

The interactive sessions you’ll attend are presented by industry-leading experts and will allow you to experience the very best resources and tools in hands-on ways. Want to see the latest from top vendors? We’ve got you covered there, too. And while you’re doing all that, you’ll be expanding your personal learning network and making connections that can benefit your school or district.

Curious to see how the 2019 SysAdmin conference can benefit you? Learn more and register here.

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