Your AI Literacy Journey: An Artificial Intelligence (AI) Roundup
This post is part of a blog series focused on sharing resources about artificial intelligence and education.
By Yvette G. Murphy, Senior Global Education Advisor
Artificial intelligence (AI) is all around us, whether we are conscious of it or not.
As human beings, we develop multiple literacies throughout our lives, shaped by our needs, experiences, and contexts. This allows us to make meaning of our surroundings and the world.
As AI grows in the education sector and all aspects of life, it is increasingly important for us to have AI literacy – the ability to understand, use, and evaluate AI technologies in an informed way. Where are you on your AI literacy journey?
The Potential of AI to Positively Transform Education
The conversation about AI and its potential and risks for education has been ongoing since the 1960s, when researchers and educators began exploring how computers could enhance learning. Since then, AI technologies have been used to meet diverse learning needs through personalized learning and adaptive assessments.
Educators and parents of students with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) are particularly interested in AI’s powerful potential to promote inclusive learning, according to a study by the Special Olympics Global Center for Inclusion in Education. At the global policy level, UNESCO recognizes AI’s transformative potential to accelerate progress toward Sustainable Development Goal 4 for quality, inclusive education and lifelong learning while also providing guidance on its risks and challenges through ethical frameworks that center inclusion and equity.
Staying Informed
At Childhood Education International, we are excited to launch a new periodic “AI Roundup” blog to share articles, thoughts, and resources on AI and education, while keeping us grounded in the humanity-centeredness of our work.
Educators and education leaders know that continuous learning throughout the lifespan allows us and our students to grow, adapt, and respond to a rapidly changing world. It will, therefore, be important to keep up with the AI conversation and develop our AI literacy to mitigate any fear we may feel and leverage its potential.
We invite you to participate in the conversation and to join us as we learn and grow together in this topic.
AI Resource Roundup
Education
Artificial Intelligence in Education (UNESCO)
UNESCO is committed to supporting Member States to harness the potential of AI technologies for achieving the Education 2030 Agenda. This webpage provides an overview of UNESCO’s mandate for a human-centered approach to AI that recognizes its potential to accelerate progress toward SDG4 and its risks and challenges. The UNESCO AI page also links to important guidance such as the publication, Artificial Intelligence and Education: Guidance for Policy-makers.
The World Needs a “Premortem” of Generative AI and Its Use in Education
Commentary by Mary Burns, Rebecca Winthrop, Michael Trucano, and Natasha Luther, Brookings Center for Universal Education (October 15, 2024)
This Brookings article discusses the need for a “premortem” approach to evaluate the potential risks and impacts of generative AI on education before widespread adoption. It emphasizes the importance of proactively identifying possible negative outcomes, such as misinformation, biased content, and privacy concerns, that could harm educational integrity and student development.
The article suggests that educational institutions and policymakers should conduct thorough assessments of these AI tools, involving stakeholders in the process to ensure transparency, ethical standards, and equitable access. The concept of a “premortem” involves anticipating failures or pitfalls in advance so that solutions can be designed to mitigate them, helping to harness AI’s benefits while minimizing its drawbacks in educational settings.
A New Era of Special Education Begins with Inclusive AI
Tim Shriver, Chairman of Special Olympics, Time.com, September 2024
This article discusses how AI can play a transformative role in special education, particularly for students with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) and draws upon findings from a study conducted by the Special Olympics Global Center for Inclusion in Education. It also addresses the concerns that the rise of AI in classrooms could reduce human interaction, which is essential for fostering empathy and compassion toward persons with disabilities. The article calls for a balanced approach where AI complements human interaction rather than replaces it.
Approach With Caution: An Innovative Educator Reviews the Impact AI Could Have on Education
Mindy Bingham, Childhood Education Innovations, July 2023
In this article, Mindy Bingham explores the potential benefits and risks of integrating AI into the educational system, particularly for young learners. Bingham acknowledges that AI tools, like ChatGPT, can assist in various ways, but she raises concerns about their impact on children’s cognitive development. She emphasizes that while AI can help automate and enhance learning, it might hinder the development of critical skills such as writing, problem-solving, and independent thinking if introduced too early.
Our Humanity
What Makes Us Human?
Dr. Robert Brooks, September 2023
This article explores the core qualities that define humanity, emphasizing five key aspects: consciousness, empathy, creativity, resilience, and the pursuit of meaning and purpose. Dr. Brooks argues that these attributes distinguish humans from other species and contribute to our complex social and emotional lives.
AI and the Future of Humanity
A keynote by Yuval Noah Harari at the Frontiers Forum, April 2023
In this keynote and Q&A, historian, philosopher, and the bestselling author, Yuval Noah Harari summarizes and speculates on “AI and the future of humanity.” There are a number of questions related to this discussion, including: “In what ways will AI affect how we shape culture? What threat is posed to humanity when AI masters human intimacy? Is AI the end of human history? Will ordinary individuals be able to produce powerful AI tools of their own? How do we regulate AI?”
Disclaimer:
The thoughts, opinions, and synthesized knowledge belong to the authors, and the resources shared are not meant to define CE International’s stance on education and AI.
Resource Sharing:
If you have any resources related to AI and Education, please feel free to send them to Yvette G. Murphy, Senior Global Education Advisor, at ymurphy@ceinternational1892.org.
About the Author
Yvette G. Murphy, Senior Global Education Advisor
Yvette Murphy is a skilled global education professional who is values-centered and has over 15 years’ experience supporting the learning and growth of children and educators worldwide through classroom teaching, program development, professional learning, and global advocacy. She is passionate about ensuring equity, inclusion, and social justice for most impacted and historically under-resourced and disadvantaged children and communities.
Yvette’s dynamic work experience in the private sector and with non-profit organizations demonstrates strong systems-thinking skills, a passion for innovation, and an ability to build bridges. She has a master’s degree in international education with a focus on non-formal and alternative education from The George Washington University.