In Part One of my new series, I emphasized that successful AI implementation in education is less about adopting new platforms and more about human readiness. While learning how different tools work is a starting point, true preparedness requires educators to develop deep pedagogical judgment, understand privacy and security issues, and make informed decisions about when to use AI and when not to. I believe that AI implementation is an organizational change process based on shared leadership with representation from the entire school community, rather than being just a technology project or a passing initiative.
As I think about AI in our classrooms, especially in light of recent decisions by NYCPS and LAUSD, regarding generative AI access for younger students, I continue to believe that we need to teach students how to use these tools responsibly.
AI offers many possibilities that can assist with learning. It can help students write, brainstorm, translate, explain, research, summarize, create images, work through problems, and more. These capabilities offer enhanced learning opportunities, but they also raise an important question: What should students still be able to do without AI?
There are many conversations about technology happening in schools, but I believe how we prepare students to use AI responsibly is one of the most important. I don’t think the answer is to completely keep AI away from students. Preparing students to use technology responsibly also means preparing them to problem-solve, adapt, and make thoughtful decisions when technology is unavailable or when using it is not the right choice.
Capability Matters
We have been having versions of this conversation for years whenever new technology appears and changes how students learn. Calculators changed math. Google changed research. Spellcheck changed writing. Translation tools changed language learning.
Technology often changes how we perform a task. It can make work more efficient, expand access to information, reduce barriers, and create new learning opportunities. But the arrival of a new tool does not eliminate the need to understand the underlying skills that students need to be successful.
When ChatGPT came out at the end of November of 2022, the immediate concern was using it for cheating. There were immediate conversations about academic integrity, and familiar comparisons to calculators and Google quickly resurfaced.
AI presents a different challenge. AI goes beyond simply being an assistant for one part of a task or process because it can produce entire responses and so much more. I often compare what a student can produce with AI to what that student can independently explain or demonstrate afterward. Here are some examples:
- A student may generate a well-written explanation. But can they explain the concept on their own?
- A student may receive an accurate language translation. But can they communicate independently and engage in a conversation?
- A student may get a solution to a problem. But can the student explain the reasoning?
- A student may generate research summaries. But can the student evaluate whether the information is trustworthy?
Students need to understand that choosing to use AI does not remove their accountability for their learning. They should still be prepared to explain their thinking, demonstrate their skills, and show what they understand without relying on any tool.
Can Independence and Assistance Coexist?
I’ve been having more conversations with educators about whether or not AI belongs in all classrooms K through 12 or if it should be limited to the high school years. We have spoken about screen time, the use of technology in general, how much is too much and also trying to consider best pedagogical practices for when technology makes sense. I do not think the answer is to require students to complete all of their work without AI. That would ignore the world they are entering.
Students will use AI in college, careers, and their personal lives and so they need to learn how to use it effectively. Learning how to use it effectively does not mean that they need to use it frequently but they need to understand when and how to use it, while still being able to complete a task without the use of AI. Students need both capabilities. They need to be able to say “I can do this myself” and “I know when and how a tool can help me do it better.” When this happens, students are demonstrating student agency.
Make the Thinking Visible
Educators can help students develop this awareness by asking them to explain their decisions and the thinking behind them. Some guiding questions might be:
- Why did you use AI?
- What part of the task did it support?
- What did you do yourself?
- What did you change and why?
- What did you disagree with?
- What information did you verify?
- Could you explain your final work without the tool?
Using these guiding questions will shift the conversation away from catching students using AI and move it toward helping students understand their own use and be reflective in their learning experiences. This is a much more productive opportunity for students to truly understand responsible use of AI.
The Value in Struggle
Learning can be difficult, and I often remind my students that making mistakes is not only okay…it is expected. Understanding may not happen on the first, second, or even tenth attempt. That is part of learning. It is meant to be challenging, and students need to experience productive struggle, which can be uncomfortable at times. In their classes, students need:
- moments when the answer does not come right away.
- to try something that does not work.
- to rethink an idea and sometimes disregard it and start over.
- to figure out why the robot did not move.
- to understand why the equation did not work, why their argument is weak, or why the translation does not make sense.
Productive struggle helps build confidence because students experience what it is like to overcome difficulty. AI can remove barriers, and it can be extremely valuable. We need to distinguish between a barrier that prevents learning and a challenge that produces learning.
Time to ask a different question
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If Your Organization Is Beginning This Work
I help schools and other organizations (law firms, healthcare professionals, business owners) implement AI responsibly through policy guidance, professional learning, and classroom-ready strategies grounded in both instructional practice and legal insight.
My sessions focus on helping teams:
• understand what AI can and cannot do
• recognize responsible-use considerations
• build confidence using emerging tools
• align implementation with organizational priorities
If your school, district, or organization is beginning conversations or looking to dive in and learn more about AI policy, professional learning, or responsible implementation, I’d welcome the opportunity to support your next steps through leadership workshops, keynote sessions, or strategic planning partnerships.
Preparing people is what makes AI implementation successful. Contact me via bit.ly/thrivineduPD or email Rdene915@gmail.com, for my training and speaking services.
