Artificial Intelligence

1. Currently, there is no official Board Policy regarding student/teacher use of AI. Our current Acceptable Use Policies should be used to address academic honesty and/or proper use of a computer. 

2. Teachers are encouraged to teach digital citizenship to students. 

3. This is a quickly developing conversation at state & national levels. The California School Boards Association (CSBA) is working on recommendations for district policies, as well as the California Department of Education (CDE). Additionally, Common Sense Media has materials that specifically address AI. 

Large language model chatbots are blocked for student use. This includes major AI programs such as ChatGPT, Google Gemini, and Microsoft Copilot. Many smaller third-party programs have also integrated chatbot features. Most of these do not conform to FERPA and COPPA regulations and are therefore also blocked for student use.

Many third-party vendors are developing school-appropriate generative AI tools, but at this time none of these are feature-complete or licensed for RUSD use. However, some district-adopted programs are beginning to incorporate AI aspects into their platforms, such as Canva’s AI image creation tools.

It is recommended that we begin teaching students safe and appropriate use of technology at early ages. Common Sense Media has developed an AI Literacy Initiative that provides educators with lessons and resources to help students develop appropriate behaviors with this medium. 

Monitoring student use of generative AI chatbots is limited at this time. Fortunately, there are many companies quickly developing programs that can do just this. The RUSD Educational Technology department is researching different products, and some are in the initial pilot phase. It is a priority of the department to find, train, and support responsible and safe use of AI for students in the future.

1. Teachers are cautioned to avoid programs that boast the ability to detect student use of AI for academic dishonesty. These have proven to be unreliable and are not supportable in a dispute. However, there are several methods and techniques that teachers can use when creating writing prompts or questions for assignments. 

2. There are programs such as Brisk that can help educators inspect the way students construct a Google Doc to identify suspicious cut/paste patterns.

3. It is suggested that teachers, grade levels, and departments examine current practices for lesson development and consider new ways to elicit student feedback that make it hard for students to use AI to answer questions and complete assignments.

This is an ever-expanding list and too large to publish, however, some programs are better than others. We recommend that you familiarize yourself with two major chatbots: ChatGPT and Google Gemini. After that, feel free to explore other options and use your best judgment on what works for you and what does not. Also, feel free to examine this AI in Education resource produced by San Bernardino Superintendent of Schools Digital Learning Services.

The following are things to consider when using AI as an educator:

1. Supplement, Don't Replace: AI should be used to enhance teaching and learning, not replace human teachers. Use AI tools to automate routine tasks, provide additional support, expand upon ideas, and facilitate enhanced learning experiences, but remember that human interaction and guidance are essential for a well-rounded education.

2. Fact Check: AI is still in development and should not be taken as fact or 100% accurate. You should always fact-check or reference any answers or solutions you receive from an AI chatbot.

3. Maintain Data Privacy: Do not enter personal, identifiable, student, or employee information into an AI chatbot.

4. Stay Ethical: Ensure your use of AI in the classroom is ethical and fair. Be transparent about how AI tools are being used, respect student privacy, and prioritize fairness and integrity. Avoid using AI in ways that perpetuate biases or discrimination.

RUSD Educational Technology is dedicated to helping lead the way in the safe and responsible use of AI for teachers and students. Topics such as effective prompt engineering, grade level and subject use cases, and how AI works will be explored in the coming years. The department is also open to suggestions from staff on needed professional development and support.

Yes, but AI should never be used as a substitute for your professional expertise. AI can assist in many ways, but will never replace peer collaboration, relationship building, and human discernment. Instead, AI can be used to help with tasks such as idea generation, data analysis, lesson planning and refinement, learning activity development, differentiation, and personalization. AI, if used properly, can far exceed a strong Google Search for information and can help inspire out-of-the-box thinking, helping to save time and improve efficacy.