Critical questions about how to prepare teachers to use AI effectively are colliding with growing concerns about the potential downsides of too much AI use in schools and society. That means that in addition to developing the technical skills they need to use AI to improve instruction, teachers must also learn how to use AI ethically. That challenge is growing bigger as advances in the technology continue to speed up, forcing schools and schools of education to play a constant game of catch-up.
Join us to:
- Learn how schools of education are integrating the teaching of AI skills into teacher preparation programs and the challenges they are facing
- See the results of an exclusive survey of education professors from around the country about the use of AI in teacher education
- Discover what current teachers and experts think is missing from professional development for the use of AI in instruction and how those gaps can be filled
- Understand how to encourage ethical use of AI in schools and teacher-preparation programs even as the technology continues to evolve and create new ethical challenges
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Event Agenda
2:00pm ET
Welcome & Introduction
We’ll highlight key insights from Education Week reporting on AI and technology in schools, and give you a preview of the content to come in this event.
Kevin Bushweller oversees coverage of educational technology and learning environments for Education Week.
2:10pm ET
Interactive Session | How Familiar Are You With AI?
This interactive session will engage the audience in a series of questions about their own use of AI and what role they think it should play in K-12 education. We'll feature the results of surveys of teachers and education professors about the use of AI in their schools and programs.
Jennifer Vilcarino is a digital news reporter for Education Week.
2:20pm ET
Industry Perspective
Sponsor content provided by Pearson
More information coming soon.
More information coming soon.
2:30pm ET
Panel Discussion | Teacher Prep Faces a Big AI Challenge
Join us for a discussion with education professors and teacher-prep experts about how schools of education are integrating the teaching of AI skills into their programs. The discussion—which will feature results from an exclusive survey of education professors by the EdWeek Research Center—will tackle questions, such as: When it comes to teaching prospective and current teachers about addressing and/or using AI in their own classrooms, what major challenges do you face? What is the primary way in which your program aims to teach current and preservice teachers about AI? Who makes the ultimate decision about whether AI skills are taught?
Alyson Klein is an assistant editor for Education Week.
3:15pm ET
Industry Perspective | Data Literacy in the Age of GenAI
Sponsor content provided by Otus
Schools handle more student data than ever, and many educators now turn to GenAI tools to make sense of it. But a fluent, confident summary from a chatbot is not necessarily an accurate one. When GenAI outputs inform interventions, placements, or resourcing, faulty outputs can have serious consequences.
This session explores why educators and leaders need both data and AI literacy to catch inaccurate numbers and misleading interpretations. The conversation will emphasize why human judgment and local context must stay at the center of data-informed decisions, and what that requires of schools and the tools they use.
Schools handle more student data than ever, and many educators now turn to GenAI tools to make sense of it. But a fluent, confident summary from a chatbot is not necessarily an accurate one. When GenAI outputs inform interventions, placements, or resourcing, faulty outputs can have serious consequences.
This session explores why educators and leaders need both data and AI literacy to catch inaccurate numbers and misleading interpretations. The conversation will emphasize why human judgment and local context must stay at the center of data-informed decisions, and what that requires of schools and the tools they use.
Chris Hull
Co-Founder and President,
Otus
Before launching Otus, the K-12 assessment, data, and insights platform, Chris Hull spent 11 years as a middle school teacher. The platform started in his own classroom as a way to give teachers a clearer, faster picture of every student. Today he leads Otus’s work to help districts turn student data into action, including the launch of Otus AI. Hull was named EdTech Digest’s 2025 Visionary Leader and a 2026 Founder/CEO finalist, and has earned multiple Stevie Awards, including Technology Executive of the Year.
Amanda Bickerstaff
Co-Founder and CEO,
AI for Education
A former high school biology teacher and EdTech CEO, Amanda Bickerstaff brings over 20 years of experience in the education sector. With a deep understanding of the challenges and opportunities that AI can offer, she is a sought-after keynote speaker and leading authority on AI and education. Through her work, Bickerstaff has reached hundreds of schools and thousands of educators worldwide, committed to helping them maximize their potential through the responsible and equitable adoption of AI.
3:25pm ET
Panel Discussion | What's Missing From PD on AI
A conversation with current teachers about what they think is missing from PD around the use of AI in instruction, taking a close look at how most teachers are currently learning how to use the technology, and concluding with recommendations for how to fill the gaps in professional development. Viewers are encouraged to submit questions prior to the event on what they would like the panelists to address.
Lauraine Langreo is an Education Week staff writer, covering education technology, student well-being, and college and workforce readiness.
3:55pm ET
Industry Perspective
Sponsor content provided by AIM
More information coming soon.
More information coming soon.
4:05pm ET
Interactive Session | Quiz Yourself on AI Use in Education
This interactive session will feature a series of quiz questions—based on EdWeek Research Center survey data and other sources—about the use of AI in schools. The questions and your answers will prompt the moderator to fill in any knowledge gaps by pointing to Education Week coverage related to the questions.
Jennifer Vilcarino is a digital news reporter for Education Week.
4:15pm ET
Closing Thoughts & Key Takeaways
We’ll recap the big ideas and key insights from the event.
Kevin Bushweller oversees coverage of educational technology and learning environments for Education Week.
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For all K-12 Essentials Forums broadcast by Education Week, Certificates of Completion are available to all registered live attendees who attend 100 minutes or more of any forum. Educators can download a PDF certificate verifying 2 hours of Professional Development credit.