Investing in Teacher AI Training: A School Leader’s Guide
| by Fayth Buriff
Some educators are excited about artificial intelligence. They see it as a powerful tool that could change teaching as we know it.
Others are nervous. Will students use AI to cheat? How will we know what’s truly a student’s work and what was spit out by a language learning model?
No matter where you stand (likely somewhere in the middle?), the reality is AI is here to stay. Students will use it. Teachers will use it. Ignoring it isn’t an option.
As a school leader, you have the power to influence whether AI’s overall impact on your organization is negative or positive. You can lead the way in empowering your teachers and students to use AI effectively and ethically, and this post will give you a framework to get started. Plus, we’re sharing a new guide for your teachers that has 100+ AI prompts to save them time. Read on for more!
AI Training for Teachers: Where to Start
It can feel overwhelming at first. There are tens of thousands of AI platforms and seemingly unlimited use cases. Where do you begin? Here are 3 simple ways you can support your staff:
#1 Offer Teacher PD on AI
Moreland grad Trina Seitz was initially wary of AI — it gave her a sinking feeling in her stomach, and she dreaded the impact it might have on her science classroom. But after taking a PD course through Moreland, Seitz’ perspective did a 180. Now she’s excited about the possibilities that come with AI and excited to teach her students how to use it.
“As a teacher, I always want to be learning,” she said. “I always want that drive to do better and improve myself.”
Sarah Emma Alexander is another Moreland grad who took a recent PD course on AI:
“A lot of people have this thing about AI: ‘Oh, we can’t let students use it and it’s cheating,’” Alexander said. “But, you know, they thought the same thing about calculators. Being in an environment of people who wanted to know more about it, who were open to how we can incorporate this, I thought that was really, really nice and really refreshing.”
AI is evolving at such a rapid clip that ongoing teacher training is a necessity. What was true yesterday might have changed by today. This is both the challenge and the excitement of this new technology. We must commit to continuous learning to keep ourselves, our teachers, and our students safe and prepared.
#2 Provide Teacher Resources on AI
It doesn’t have to be a formal PD session. You could also give your teachers takeaway resources on different ways to use AI to their benefit. Maybe that’s a webinar, a news article, or a pro subscription to a particular AI tool.
Here are a couple free resources to get you started:
- This guide has more than 100 AI prompts to save teachers time. It has ideas for your teachers on how to use AI across 10 categories: lesson planning, classroom management, family communication, student engagement, back-to-school prep, assessment and feedback, differentiation and inclusion, professional growth, time-saving templates, and creative and fun prompts. Feel free to copy the link and share with your teacher teams!
- This infographic is a great visual reminder of the dos and don’ts for AI prompting. It’s another great resource to share!
#3 Create Clear School Policies for AI Use
Establish clear rules about what is and isn’t acceptable when it comes to AI use. Can students use AI as a research tool? As a first-draft writing partner? Instead of trying to ban AI outright, set realistic guardrails for your teachers and students. AI is going to be part of their lives, so it makes sense to help them learn how to use it effectively and ethically.
And remember, if a rule isn’t something you can realistically enforce, it’s probably better to forget it altogether rather than causing additional confusion and headaches.
AI Training for Students
Students are going to have questions about AI, and teachers should be prepared to lead those conversations. It should include discussions about the benefits of AI, like the ability to speed up work and/or research. It should also include conversations about the potential downsides, like AI-created deepfakes or AI providing inaccurate or even dangerous information. It’s critical that students know when to seek help from a trusted adult and understand that if an AI tool tells them to hide information from their parents or guardians, that’s a major red flag.
Personally, my overarching rules for AI use are simple: always keep learning (because the technology is constantly evolving), and never, ever take AI at its word. I check every detail.
I was a little hesitant at first, but now I use AI every day in my work. It speeds up some of the more tedious aspects of my role, which frees me to focus on creative thinking and problem-solving. I can say without a doubt that it makes a huge, positive difference.
And I’m confident — especially with the right training, resources, and exploration — that the same will hold true in your schools. I can’t wait to see where you take it!
Ready to jumpstart AI learning for your teachers? Our AI for Educators course is a great place to start. It’s a 2-week course and 2 CEUs for every participating teacher. There’s a live, virtual class each week followed by asynchronous activities. Participants will collaborate with each other and get feedback from their Moreland instructor, revising their activities and assignments as needed.
To schedule a course for your teachers, book a quick meeting with our team. We can also customize the course to your specific goals.
