Classroom Technology

Students Want to Learn More About AI. Schools Aren’t Keeping Up

By Lauraine Langreo — November 10, 2023 1 min read
Illustration of an AI chatbot assist on the face of a cellphone tutoring a kid student doing homework with subject matter icons floating all around him.
  • Save to favorites
  • Print

There’s a wide gap between what students say they want to learn about how to use artificial intelligence responsibly and what schools are teaching them right now, concludes a recent report from the Center for Democracy & Technology, a nonprofit that promotes digital rights.

Seventy-two percent of students said they would find it helpful to learn how to use generative AI responsibly, according to the organization’s nationally representative survey of 1,029 high school students conducted between June and August. Meanwhile, less than half of students (44 percent) said they’ve received AI guidance from their schools, the report found.

Today’s students are often called digital natives and seen as experts in navigating the digital space. But the report found other gaps in the digital-technology guidance that students said would be helpful to get from their schools and what schools have provided so far.

As schools become more reliant on technology for teaching and learning, collecting student data, and monitoring students’ behavior online, it’s important to teach students how to be responsible digital citizens.

In the Center for Democracy & Technology survey conducted over the summer, students were asked what kind of tech guidance and support from schools they would find helpful. Here’s what they said:

Events

Student Well-Being K-12 Essentials Forum Boosting Student and Staff Mental Health: What Schools Can Do
Join this free virtual event based on recent reporting on student and staff mental health challenges and how schools have responded.
This content is provided by our sponsor. It is not written by and does not necessarily reflect the views of Education Week's editorial staff.
Sponsor
Curriculum Webinar
Practical Methods for Integrating Computer Science into Core Curriculum
Dive into insights on integrating computer science into core curricula with expert tips and practical strategies to empower students at every grade level.
Content provided by Learning.com

EdWeek Top School Jobs

Teacher Jobs
Search over ten thousand teaching jobs nationwide — elementary, middle, high school and more.
View Jobs
Principal Jobs
Find hundreds of jobs for principals, assistant principals, and other school leadership roles.
View Jobs
Administrator Jobs
Over a thousand district-level jobs: superintendents, directors, more.
View Jobs
Support Staff Jobs
Search thousands of jobs, from paraprofessionals to counselors and more.
View Jobs

Read Next

Classroom Technology Q&A This School Leader Believes AI Could Transform Education for Students With Dyslexia
AI could revolutionize how people with dyslexia navigate K-12 schools, said a school leader who works with children with the condition.
3 min read
Elementary age boy using computer.
E+ / Getty
Classroom Technology Crafting a School Policy on AI? Here’s What Experts Recommend
AI is developing so rapidly that many educators fear district policies to handle the technology will quickly become outdated.
1 min read
Classroom Technology Khan Academy Plans to Shake Up Writing Instruction With AI Tool
Chatbots designed specifically for K-12 education are expected to proliferate rapidly over the next few years.
3 min read
Illustration of woman using AI on phone.
DigitalVision Vectors