2024 laid the groundwork for AI to reach a level of “maturity” in education, with the federal government releasing guidance on the issue and growing numbers of teachers getting professional training on the technology and classes on data science available to students.
Now, a development that once baffled educators and administrators is ready to go mainstream.
“I think the system was still in reaction mode. I think we still saw a lot of uncertainty as to where and how AI fits into education," ” said Zarek Drozda, executive director of Data Science 4 Everyone at the University of Chicago.
“I think you saw this in the way that AI was beginning to be implemented into technology that facilitates classroom management,” he continued.
“I think, over time, going into this next year, that you’re going to see more maturity come to the system even further,” Drozda added.
A report from his group found that since the 2020-21 school year, 2,500 teachers have had more than 71,000 hours of data science professional development, and 277 schools have added data science classes.
Earlier this year, the federal government released a 74-page AI toolkit for schools that focused on safeguarding student privacy, creating plans to integrate the technology to fit student needs and how to use it to assist with learning.
Educators are now using AI to help speed up lesson plan creation and assisting in plans for individualized instruction a student may need.
The new year will offer a major opportunity to take advantage of more of the training educators have received, as well as expanding on AI and computer science literacy in schools.
The Hill's Lexi Lonas Cochran has more here.
