K-12 Generative AI Readiness Checklist
Author: Samantha Goldman; info@ciddl.org
Generative Artificial Intelligence (Gen AI), such as ChatGPT and Bard, continues to disrupt education as we know it. Leading educational policy and professional organizations are continuing to develop and publish guides to the use of Gen AI in K-12 settings and beyond. Examples of these include UNESCO’s Guidance for Generative AI in Education and Research, the US Department of Educational Technology’s report on AI’s impact on teaching and learning, and the European Commission's “Ethical Guidelines for Teaching and Learning”. The newest resource added to this list is CoSN and the Council of the Great City Schools’ K-12 Generative AI Readiness Checklist.
Checklist Components
The readiness checklist aims to help guide k-12 districts in the necessary steps required prior to implementing Gen AI in their schools with regards to safety, privacy, security, and ethics. The lofty checklist of 93 questions is broken into six categories: executive leadership readiness (24 questions), operational readiness (9 questions), data readiness (25 questions), technical readiness (16 questions), security readiness (7 questions), and legal/ risk management (12 questions). The categories are further broken down highlighting the challenge or opportunity associated with the assessment criteria. Other relevant and useful elements of the guide include a glossary of terms related to AI and policies associated with AI.
Why Use It?
By whom should the checklist be used? It is recommended that it be used by district leaders including superintendents, technology and information officers, and cross-functional teams (inclusive of various departments such as teachers, legal, and finance). Why this team? Technology for the sake of technology is not an effective use of technology, nor does it enhance the learning and education of students. Rather, the technology should be implemented with intentionality. In the case of an emerging technology such as Gen AI, there are several elements that must be checked and designed to ensure effective implementation. These include training staff on its use and the legal and ethical implications, ensuring that the infrastructure and security protocols are up to par, and that the adoption is a continual process.