Understanding how technologies work and affect people (digital literacy) is becoming increasingly important as the use of artificial intelligence expands across all sectors of society, including K-12 education. It can help us recognize when a platform like ChatGPT is spitting out inaccurate or biased information, empower us to use new technologies in smarter and more thoughtful ways, and lead to the design of better products and services. But perhaps most importantly, digital literacy can build a foundation for students to take a critical look at the news and information they are getting through television and social media (media literacy).
Join us to explore critical issues for K-12 leaders and educators, including:
- What should digital and media literacy look like in the age of AI?
- What ages should it start?
- How should teachers be trained to deliver this kind of learning?
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Agenda
2:00pm ET
Welcome & Introduction
We’ll highlight key insights from recent reporting on digital and media literacy and AI.
Kevin Bushweller oversees coverage of educational technology and learning environments for Education Week.
2:10pm ET
Interactive Session: Can You Tell the Difference?
During this session, participants will examine a series of text and images that are created by people and artificial intelligence. They will learn how to determine what is real and what is AI-created. This skill will be critical for educators as they try to help students examine text and images more critically in the age of AI.
Alyson Klein is an assistant editor for Education Week.
2:20pm ET
Panel Discussion: How to Become AI Literate
AI is shaping nearly every aspect of our lives and is expected to transform fields from medicine to agriculture and policing. Grasping the technical aspects of AI can help temper the oftentimes inaccurate perception that AI is an all-knowing, infallible force. What do students need to understand about AI to be prepared for the world of work, to become smart consumers and responsible citizens? During this panel discussion, experts and educators outline the steps schools need to take to help students become AI literate.
Alyson Klein is an assistant editor for Education Week.
Cathy Collins
Library Media Specialist,
Sharon Middle School, MA
Cathy Collins has worked as a Library Media Specialist for over 20 years at the K-12 level and is currently serving in that role at Sharon Middle School in Sharon, Massachusetts. She holds a Doctorate in Education with a specialization in Curriculum, Leadership, Teaching and Learning; and additional Masters Degrees in Education and Library Science. She has published her writing in various journals including “Library Media Connection,” “NEA Today,” and AASL’s “Knowledge Quest” and is the author of “Teaching News Literacy in the Age of AI: A Cross Curricular Approach” which is scheduled to be published by ISTE in Spring, 2024. She is a Fulbright/Teachers for Global Classrooms Fellow and is the recipient of an AASL Intellectual Freedom Award. She is a 2023 MSLA (Mass School Library Association) “Virtual Influencer” and 2023 Service Award recipient and was previously named an MSLA “Super Librarian” and Innovator. She is a member of the ISTE+ASCD Board of Directors and also currently serves on AASL’s Literacy Committee. Previously, she served on the MassCUE Board as PD Chair from 2015-2019. She is passionate about STEM/STEAM, global education and media literacy. In addition to having coordinated the Chinese Exchange Program at Sharon High School for many years, she has journeyed with her students to India, Peru and Tanzania, Africa through World Challenge as a Teacher Leader. Dr. Collins served as the lead instructional designer in 2021 for an online course for K12 teachers hosted by the US State Dept., “STEM Innovations and Global Competence.”
Shaelynn Farnsworth
Director,
News Literacy Project
Shaelynn has over 20 years of experience in education. She spent the first part of her career as a high school English teacher in Conrad, Iowa, where she reimagined teaching and learning in her classroom and became a leader in the convergence between literacy and technology. Shaelynn focused on developing student skills in information consumption, creating innovative ways for students to demonstrate understanding, and inspiring healthy skepticism in the digital age. She was recruited by a regional state education agency in Iowa, where she was a school improvement consultant for seven years. Shaelynn supported districts throughout Iowa in the areas of literacy, technology, AIW, and systemic change. She was a member of the state’s literacy, social studies, and technology leadership teams.
Katie Gallagher
K-12 Technology Integration Specialist,
Gunnison Watershed School District (CO)
Katie Gallagher is the K-12 Technology Integration Specialist for Gunnison Watershed School District, which services approximately 2,000 students in rural Colorado, including the communities of Gunnison, Crested Butte, and surrounding areas. She is in her 6th year in this role and was previously an elementary classroom teacher (grades 1, 2 and 5) and a secondary physical and health education teacher (grades 6, 7 and 8). This is Katie’s 21st year working in K-12 education.
3:05pm ET
Panel Discussion: A Deep Dive Into ‘Deepfakes’
An AI-generated “deepfake” audio recording of a principal making hateful comments has laid bare an uncertain landscape for educators—a bleak one that could consist of costly investigations, ruined reputations, and potential defamation cases. The incident is just the tip of the iceberg on a problem that is likely to grow more serious as students, educators, parents, and community members become more skilled at using artificial intelligence. What steps should schools take to curb the use of this technology for nefarious purposes and how can students and educators be protected? This panel will guide K-12 leaders and educators on how to manage this growing threat.
Lauraine Langreo is an Education Week staff writer, covering education technology, student well-being, and college and workforce readiness.
Andrew Buher
Founder and Managing Director,
Opportunity Labs
Andrew Buher is Founder and Managing Director at Opportunity Labs, a national non-profit research, policy, and consulting lab. Andrew is also a faculty member at Princeton University’s School of Public and International Affairs where he teaches courses focused on policy implementation and the role of public schools in protecting youth mental health. Andrew was appointed by President Obama to serve as a White House Fellow at the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. Prior to his work at HUD, Andrew was the Chief Operating Officer of the New York City Public Schools and formerly served Chief of Staff to Chancellor Dennis Walcott. Andrew is a White House Fellow, Forbes 30 under 30 honoree, French American Foundation Young Leader, Atlantic Council Millennium Fellow, and an Education Pioneer. His writing has been featured in The Hill, CNN, Politico, The 74, District Administration, and the NY Daily News.
Jim Siegl
Senior Technologist,
Future of Privacy Forum
Jim Siegl is a senior technologist with the Future of Privacy Forum’s youth and education privacy team. For nearly two decades prior to joining FPF, Jim was a technology architect for Fairfax County Public Schools with a focus on privacy, security, identity management, interoperability, and learning management systems. He was a co-author of the CoSN Privacy Toolkit and the Trusted Learning Environment seal program and holds a Master of Science in the Management of Information Technology from the University of Virginia.
3:35pm ET
Interactive Session: Big Questions About AI and Schools
In this interactive session, participants will be asked to respond to a series of questions related to an EdWeek Research Center survey of teachers, principals, and district leaders on the use of artificial intelligence in K-12 schools. We will examine questions around “deepfake” attacks, teacher training, and using AI for scheduling, testing, teaching students with special needs, and more.
Arianna Prothero covers technology, student well-being, and the intersection of the two for Education Week.
3:45pm ET
Closing Thoughts
Hear the big takeaways from this forum.
Kevin Bushweller oversees coverage of educational technology and learning environments for Education Week.