As with most other technology used in K-12 learning environments, school officials must verify that artificial intelligence is secure. Before using new technology powered by AI and machine learning, districts must consider regulatory constraints as well as ethical considerations (ML).
To do so, one must first understand what AI in education looks like. “All of us have very different views regarding AI, algorithmic tools, and machine learning and what these things are,” says Sava Saheli Singh, an eQuality-Scotiabank postdoctoral researcher in AI and surveillance at the University of Ottawa.
Because AI and ML are nebulous concepts, everyone perceives them differently. The internet and firms that sell AI-powered products have the potential to shape people’s impressions of this technology.
School administrators must comprehend what AI and ML entail in the context of the products they are implementing in order to adequately protect pupils utilizing this technology. IT managers should be aware of how data is used by AI and how various student demographics are impacted by the technologies.
Do IT Leaders Know How AI Works in K–12 Education Technology?
Leaders must first ask themselves if they are familiar with the tools they are using. IT teams should be aware of the processes the tools use to get the outcomes they see.
There is undoubtedly a dearth of knowledge about what these systems are, how they work, who they are intended for, and how they are utilized, according to Singh.
IT executives need to keep in mind that data is a critical component of how AI systems operate.
“AI only functions if you collect data. The more data you can get, the better, says Valerie Steeves, professor of criminology at the University of Ottawa and head of the eQuality project. “It only works if you take data from anywhere you can find it,” she adds.
Administrators must make sure they’re incorporating student data security because AI and ML systems depend on data in order to be used responsibly. According to Steeves, “AI that’s going out now always has a price tag, and the price tag is your kids’ data.”
