DigCit & AI Literacy Week 2026
DigCit & AI Literacy Week 2026
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Sue Thotz, Director of Outreach and Professional Development at Common Sense Education, sits down with Omar Shepherd, Project Specialist for Digital Learning Services at SBCSS, to discuss AI literacy in honor of DigCit & AI Lit Week. On the heels of their in-person workshop, Theory to Practice: Exploring the CDE AI Guidance, they dive into the impact of generative AI, deepfakes, and automated content, giving educators insights to help students navigate their evolving digital spaces. Together, they explore how digital citizenship and media literacy are transforming in the AI era, where students must learn to critically evaluate automated outputs for bias, hallucinations, and misinformation rather than taking them at face value. Tune in to hear the full conversation and explore Common Sense Education’s AI literacy curriculum and resources for students, educators, families.
In this episode of the SBCSS Digital Learning Services Bits & Bytes Podcast, Dr. Sonal Patel speaks with Wes Kriesel, AI Education Lead at the Orange County Department of Education, about human-centered AI in schools. Guided by California’s AI Guidance, they explore how AI can support educators while preserving relationships, student agency, and human oversight. They share practical approaches to learning with, alongside, and without AI while addressing privacy, equity, and student well-being. The conversation encourages schools to create opportunities for exploration and include educators, students, and families in shaping responsible AI use.
Dr. DuJuan "DJ" Johnson
Dr. DuJuan "DJ" Johnson
Dr. Johnson is a public school administrator, founder of AiK12.io, and a leading practitioner in AI ethics and policy. He creates and leads interactive professional learning experiences, including the "Cheat Better!" workshop series and podcast for educators. Through his work, Dr. Johnson prepares educators to tackle academic integrity challenges, evaluate AI writing tools, and drive human-centered technology integration across schools.
In this special edition of the SBCSS Digital Learning Services Bits & Bytes Podcast, hosts Jessica Boucher and Tonya Coats welcome Dr. DuJuan “DJ” Johnson to explore academic integrity and responsible AI use in celebration of Digital Citizenship and AI Literacy Week. Drawing on his research with English language arts teachers, Dr. Johnson discusses how generative AI is reshaping educators’ roles and highlights three essential components of AI literacy: understanding the tools, critically evaluating their outputs, and preserving authentic voice and ownership. He shares practical strategies for building trust through transparency, co-creating flexible classroom guidelines, and making students’ thinking visible through drafts, documented prompts, discussions, and multiple ways to demonstrate learning. The conversation emphasizes sustained professional learning and human guidance to help educators use AI to strengthen critical thinking, student engagement, and authentic learning.
Omar Shepherd, SBCSS
Omar Shepherd, SBCSS
Omar Shepherd of the San Bernardino County Superintendent of Schools explores the California Department of Education’s AI guidance and shares practical ways to build AI literacy. He discusses how educators can help students understand AI tools, critically evaluate their outputs, and recognize inaccurate or fabricated information.
As a national facilitator for Day of AI, Omar Shepherd highlights free curriculum for students in pre-K through grade 12 organized around three core areas: Learn, which builds foundational AI understanding; Apply, which connects AI literacy across subjects; and Create, which develops technical skills through coding and app development. Flexible implementation models help schools adapt these resources to their staffing and schedules. Visit dayofai.org for free lessons, and explore additional resources, including Corwin Press’s Teaching AI Literacy Across the Curriculum and the SBCSS team’s AI Literacy in Every Classroom tool for grade-specific lesson ideas.
How can schools embrace the possibilities of AI while protecting student information? In this episode of the SBCSS Digital Learning Services Bits & Bytes Podcast, Jessica Boucher joins David Thurston, Assistant Superintendent of Technology and Information Services, SBCSS, to explore data privacy during Digital Citizenship and AI Literacy Week. Thurston discusses key protections, including FERPA, which safeguards student education records; COPPA, which addresses online collection of personal information from children under 13; and California’s SOPIPA, now known as KOPIPA, which protects K–12 students’ information when using educational websites, applications, and online services. The conversation also highlights AB 1584 and student data privacy agreements, explaining how contracts and careful evaluation help districts establish expectations for vendors handling student information. Listeners will learn about using district-approved AI tools, recognizing sensitive information, responding to accidental disclosures, and preparing for privacy challenges posed by AI-enabled wearables.
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