Teaching and Learning in the Age of Artificial Intelligence

If you have been paying attention at all to the news and social media this summer, you’ve seen mention of AI. From the launch of ChatGPT to the current Hollywood Writers strike, AI seemed to take the internet by storm, almost overnight. The world of education was not immune, as some schools and districts banned access to ChatGPT almost immediately. 

How will LuHi approach AI in our school learning community?

At LuHi, we take a measured approach to these kinds of major advances in education. Collectively, we have been discussing and reading about the advances in AI since ChatGPT arrived on the scene, and as we prepare to welcome faculty and staff, and then students, back to campus this fall, a major theme of our learning and discussion will center around AI and its impact on teaching and learning. 

As these plans continue to develop, we lean on the first goal of LuHi’s current strategic plan, Shine. The Engaging Education goal demands that we ensure student learning is deep, personal, engaging, ethical, and innovative. As it continues to evolve, our evaluation of the affordances and limitations of AI at LuHi will be considered through these core demands. 

What do we currently understand about AI and education at LuHi? 

• AI is not new. If you think of it, we have had Siri in our lives for quite some time. I am typing this in a Google Doc and Google regularly makes suggestions for completion of words and ideas. AI has already had an impact and its impact will continue to evolve in the future. 
• AI is not going away. By the time this hits your inbox, you can rest assured that those working to innovate in the area of AI will have made progress toward the next AI development!
• AI cannot replace humans. As with so many tools, AI is imperfect. Countless stories have shared errors in AI, and just as we teach students how to be critical consumers of information as they learn how to search well for information, so must we critically consume AI responses to our prompts. As we recently read in a text on this topic, AI for Educators, AI and thinking “are not mutually exclusive” (Miller 79). 
• We are all uniquely created in the image of God. Yes, this strikes differently than the previous statements, but stick with me. This core belief of our school is foundational to all we do, and our consideration of AI is no different. With this understanding, we value LuHi community members for more than their performance, their choices, and what we see from them on the surface. This demands a commitment to that deep, personal, engaging, ethical, and innovative learning mentioned above! 

What learning opportunities will AI afford LuHi students? 

• We will seek to use “tomorrow glasses” (Miller 116) as we prepare our students for the future. As our vision statement demands, we are working together to develop compassionate and educated leaders for the future. Our students will need to have the skills and critical thought necessary to navigate and contribute to a world with more and more innovation in the area of AI.
• LuHi’s faculty, staff, and administration pledge to keep learning about AI and advances in the field. 
• We will engage students in the conversation about AI, helping students to learn more about the opportunities and challenges it presents. 
• We will thoughtfully engage with and consider our Honor Code and other related policies as we navigate a world where AI can be used in generating work.
• We are also excited to share that we have developed a new elective course in our STEM Department: Artificial Intelligence. We encourage high school students to consider this class, which will run in Spring 2024, as their schedule allows. 
• We are expanding our partnership with Long Island University (Brookville campus) where some students will be able to visit the university’s AI Lab and hear from professors who use it in their coursework. 

As we continue to approach the start of the 2023-24 school year, we look forward to supporting our students, faculty, staff, and families as we walk into the future opportunities afforded by advances in the area of AI. Please keep an eye out for further updates and communications in the months to come!