What is Artificial Intelligence (AI)? 

Artificial Intelligence, or AI, is the technology that enables a computer to simulate human intelligence and problem-solving tasks. It’s used to perform tasks that usually require human thought, like understanding language, recognizing patterns, or making decisions. Examples of AI in everyday life include Google Translate, Grammarly, Netflix viewing recommendations, and facial recognition. 

Generative AI is a subset of AI that can learn patterns and relationships and use that information to create new content, such as text, images, music, audio, and videos. This field of AI has grown rapidly over the past few years and continues to evolve. ChatGPT, Co-Pilot, and Gemini are examples of generative AI tools. The “frontier” tools.  

At the RCCDSB, the term AI refers to all aspects of artificial intelligence, including generative AI.

Why Incorporate AI in the Classroom? 

Incorporating age-appropriate artificial intelligence (AI) in the classroom offers benefits for both students and educators.

✅ Lesson Planning and Learning Activities: AI can quickly create lesson plans and interactive activities tailored to student interests and learning differences. Tools like Google Gemini can allow educators to adjust lesson content, such as changing reading levels or creating multiple versions of an activity so that they are tailored to a student's interests and abilities.

✅ Assessment and Evaluation: AI can provide feedback based on teacher created rubrics, saving time and providing timely feedback. Tools like Brisk can create quizzes and Kahoot can gamify learning, and help students review before formal evaluations. Google classroom has built in AI tools like Practice Sets to help build knowledge through real time feedback and supports. Educators gain insights into student learning while freeing up more time to engage in conversations with students.

✅ Language Translation: AI facilitates language translation, aiding English language learners by making learning accessible in thier native language. This promotes inclusivity, enabling students to engage more fully in class.

✅ Data Analysis: AI can analyze data from documents and provide insights, acting as a virtual data analyst for educators and administrators. 

✅ Studying and Tutoring Support: AI tools offer personalized tutoring, study materials, flashcards, and quizzes, catering to different learning styles and preferences.

✅ Creativity: AI can generate images, poems, and songs and provide summaries of complex documents or videos, enhancing creative learning experiences.

✅ Reading Support and Text Differentiation: AI can adjust reading levels, simplify vocabulary, and modify text to accomodate different learning needs, supporting differentiated instruction.

✅ Executive Functioning Support: AI powered toold assist with task scheduling, reminders, and goal setting, helping students manage their time and tasks effectively.

✅ Socialization Support: AI can provide conversational practice and social cues in a non-judgemental, predictable learning environment, helping students navigate social situations and improve their social skills.

✅ Communication Support: AI powered assistive technologies, such as Lookout and Look to Speak, enhance communication for students with visual impairments or other needs.

✅ Time-Saving for Educators: AI can generate letters, create newsletter templates, and provide summaries from various media sources, saving educators valuable time.

✅ Crucial Skill Development:  Teaching students about AI is essential because these skills are becoming more important in the workforce. We have a responsibility to prepare students for a world where AI is a common tool. Additionally, not all students have access to technology at home, so it's important to provide them with opportunities to learn and use AI in school.

RCCDSB AI Guiding Principles

The RCCDSB AI Guiding Principles are the foundation for all of our work using artificial Intelligence. They provide direction to staff and students for how artificial intelligence is to be used within our schools and school board. To further support the RCCDSB we have created a Guide For RCCDSB Educators to assist with incorporating AI in the classroom.

Safeguard Privacy, Security & Data Protection

Any AI tools that we provide for students or staff on our portals will have undergone a privacy impact assessment. We are also in the process of creating a framework for staff to evaluate additional AI tools not on our portal to ensure they adequately protect student and staff privacy and data.

Guidelines for Student Use of AI (Coming Soon!)

The RCCDSB is looking at providing tools for student use of AI in the coming year. AI tools must be age-appropriate and each individual educator will provide guidelines on the extent to which AI can be used for a given assignment. Examples include: 

• Students can use AI to help develop ideas for a project or essay

• After proofreading, students can use AI to correct grammar or suggest better wording.

• Students can use AI to add creative elements or polish thier projects, such as turning the information they provide into a song or creating illustrations to enhance a presentation.

Here is a one-minute video from Google with 3 examples of how students (13 +) can use Gemini.

Incorporating Critical Thinking

AI literacy is more than just knowing how to use the tools. To mitigate the potential risks and biases of AI, our AI guiding principles will be introduced to students using  age-appropriate language. Additionally, educators in all grades will emphasize the transferable skill of Crititical Thinking. Students will be reminded to use their critical thinking skills when reviewing the output of AI tools.

Additional Resources

Guardian's Guide to AI

This is a guide for families produced by Google for Education

Learn More About Generative AI

This free 1-hour course explores how Generative AI will transform computing and work and focuses on using it to amplify an augment creativity and critical thinking. This course from Coursera is a helpful introduction for students, parents, and educators.