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Today we are celebrating the work of Ken Shelton and Dee Lanier. Their contributions represent a standard of excellence in educational technology, pushing us to move beyond simple tool use toward a more equitable and ethical classroom culture.
The Promises And Perils Of AI In Education
In their book, The Promises and Perils of AI in Education: Ethics and Equity Have Entered The Chat, Ken and Dee provide a roadmap for navigating the artificial intelligence landscape. This resource is essential because it centers the conversation on humanity, reminding us that technology should foster critical thinking and creativity for every student.
As leaders in the EdTech world, they advocate for transparency to ensure new tools do not reinforce historical biases. Based on their work, here are a few tips for your classroom:
- Rethink Academic Integrity: Focus on the conditions that lead students to circumvent learning rather than just policing tools.
- Conduct AI Audits: Use AI to summarize privacy policies in simple language to understand data risks.
- Prioritize Equity: Use technology to humanize and personalize the learning experience for students from all backgrounds.
Why Representation Matters In Our Learning Environments
Ken Shelton emphasizes that learners need to see themselves reflected in their curriculum, materials, and the teachers they look up to. This "mirrors, windows, and sliding glass doors" approach increases self-awareness and belonging, .
Using platforms like Book Creator allows students to assert their own agency by creating digital books that reflect their own stories. This supports deeper critical thinking and ensures a culturally affirming experience. When we provide students a blank canvas, we move from passive consumption to active, creative contribution.
Check out the Book Creator ResourceThe Black Innovation Project On SchoolAI
To bring these concepts of representation and inquiry to life, Ken created the Black Innovation Project. This space is intentionally designed for multiple grade levels to guide students through an exploration of groundbreaking inventions by Black creators.
Instead of just reading a list of names, students engage in active observation and research. This helps them make meaningful connections between historical innovations and their daily lives, facilitating critical thinking and fostering a spirit of inquiry that honors Black history through active learning.
Explore The Black Innovation ProjectHow are you helping your students see themselves as innovators this month, ?