A.I. blah, blah, blah…
Holy smokes. I’ve got AI whiplash, and I’m ready to talk about it!
It seems impossible to attend a conference, read an educational blog, listen to a podcast, or even have a conversation with colleagues without the inevitable mention of artificial intelligence.
It’s always AI blah, blah blah…
The constant barrage of AI products, services, and "revolutionary" solutions has created a echo chamber of noise that often drowns out what truly matters in education: the learning experience and the students themselves.
Joseph South, who serves as the Chief Innovation Officer for ISTE/ASCD, had this to say recently after attending a huge national conference:
AI solutions almost exclusively focused on making schools more efficient. Few aimed at school/learning transformation. Few designed to expand learner agency with AI tools. We are in danger of using AI mostly to do existing school more efficiently instead of better. Some exceptions apply.
He accurately depicts what we are seeing across the K-12 and Higher Ed landscape right now. The OVER saturation is real.
The AI Oversaturation Problem
I’m not saying we should be ignoring artificial intelligence. I believe it is one of the most important conversations of our time in regards to learning, work, and life.
Any time there is a technology advancement that seems to be another hinge of history, it is going to cause massive waves of change.
The problem we are seeing right now is everyone is talking about change, and we aren’t seeing many practices changing—but instead of a lot of old things done in new ways.
This rush to add AI to all our learning experiences has created several concerning issues in K-12 and Higher Ed:
The Folks On Extreme Sides of the Spectrum
On the one hand we have tech billionaires talking about how AI will replace teachers, change schools, and make our current system completely obsolete. On the other hand we have a few Education leaders saying we should never use AI and ban it from our schools. Let’s be real. We are all going to use this technology, and we are all going to still want and need humans to facilitate engaging learning experiences.
Distraction from Pedagogical Foundations
When schools focus excessively on implementing AI tools, they often divert attention and resources away from proven or emerging pedagogical practices. The fundamentals of good teaching—building relationships, fostering critical thinking, and creating engaging learning environments—take a backseat to the latest technological innovation.
Technology-First, Learning-Second Approach
Too frequently, schools adopt AI solutions and then try to fit their curriculum and teaching methods around the technology, rather than selecting tools that enhance existing educational goals. This technology-first approach can lead to disjointed learning experiences that prioritize what the AI can do over what students need.
Data Privacy Concerns
The collection of student data to fuel AI systems raises serious privacy concerns. Many AI educational products gather extensive information about students' learning behaviors, preferences, and performance, often without transparent policies about how this data is used, stored, or potentially shared with third parties. While this is improving, it is something we all should be looking at with close eye.
Refocusing on Learning and Students
Despite these challenges, AI does have the potential to enhance education when implemented thoughtfully. The key is shifting our focus back to learning and students, using AI as a tool (and a skillset) rather than treating it as an end in itself.
Start with Learning Goals
Before considering any AI tools or implementation, we should clearly define our learning objectives. What specific educational challenges are you trying to address? How will this technology support and drive quality student learning experiences? Technology should serve pedagogical goals, not the other way around.
Prioritize Human Connection
The most powerful aspect of education remains the human connection between teachers and students. AI has to supplement rather than replace these relationships. The best implementations of AI in education free up teachers from busy work so they can spend more time on meaningful interactions with students. The meaning and relevance is the key, and AI can play a part in that.
Critical Evaluation of AI Claims
We all need to approach vendor claims with healthy skepticism. Not every AI solution delivers on its promises, and some may even be counterproductive to learning goals. This is with any technology and of course AI. Demand evidence of effectiveness, preferably from independent research rather than company-sponsored studies. Start slow, and see how things work in small groups and work from there.
Student Agency and Voice
Include students in decisions about technology implementation. How do they experience these tools? What helps them learn better? What creates frustration? Students often have insightful perspectives on how technology affects their learning experience, yet their voices are frequently absent from these discussions.
Ethical Implementation
Develop clear policies around data privacy, algorithmic bias, and ethical use of AI in education. Transparency with parents and students about how AI is being used is essential.
I love this quote from Joanna Maciejewska, and use it when I’m working with groups to ask this important question regarding AI implementation:
What is the laundry and dishes of education vs the art and writing of education? What do we want AI to help with, compared to what we want to keep human in a very human practice?
Finding Balance
The future of education isn't about choosing between technology and traditional teaching—it's about finding the right balance. AI can be a powerful tool when it addresses real educational needs and enhances human teaching rather than attempting to replace it.
The end goal remains what it has always been: helping students develop the knowledge, skills, and character they need to thrive in a complex and changing world.
By refocusing on learning and students, we can cut through the "AI blah, blah, blah" and maybe use some of these powerful tools in service of education's true purpose. Let's move beyond the hype and ask the question: How can AI truly help both teaching and learning experiences for all?
I’ve been down this road myself. Upset over the use of AI to detect “cheating with AI”, I continued to question there has to be a better way.
Instead of looking at a pre-existing AI tool, and using it for a purpose that it was not intended for, I started from first principles.
How can AI help students write more like a human, and less like a robot? This led me down the path of creating something for a learning purpose, instead of the other way around.
When we start there, we can begin to separate the signal from the noise and use AI in ways that genuinely benefit education.