AI @ SPS

Artificial Intelligence tools can be simultaneously exciting and intimidating in their potential. We want to highlight positive use cases and opportunities while also being mindful that, like any tool, there may be some downsides. This document is an attempt to organize best practices, guidelines, tools worth exploring, training materials and opportunities, and other relevant content. It will evolve as the landscape changes.

Our school district recognizes that artificial intelligence (AI) technologies are increasingly prevalent in schools and society. When used appropriately, AI can enhance teaching, learning, and student preparedness for future careers. We also acknowledge the importance of using AI ethically, safely, and in ways that prioritize student privacy, equitable access, and development of critical thinking skills.

• Only AI tools and providers that meet data privacy and security standards may be used with student information.

• To adhere to Terms of Service and age restrictions, only AI tools approved by the District can be utilized when accounts are being created by students or district employees. If an account needs to be created or student data will be shared, use the software request process to request a tool that has not already been approved.

• Due to the continual development of AI tools, district guidelines regarding AI will be regularly reviewed and updated to encourage safe, ethical, and innovative use in and out of the classroom.

1. Educators may leverage AI writing assistants, lesson planners, grading aids and other education-focused AI tools to enhance instruction and streamline tasks.

2. AI should supplement rather than replace teacher expertise. Teachers must oversee, fact-check, and maintain editorial control over AI-generated content.

3. Educators will receive guidance on the ethical use of AI, including evaluating bias, protecting student data privacy, and addressing potential misuse.

1. Learners may use AI writing tools, calculators, and tutors for assignments when appropriate.

2. Use of AI-generated content should include appropriate citations.

3. Digital literacy education will cover AI functionality, strengths, limitations, ethical concerns, academic integrity, and best practices.

Our district is committed to fully implementing AI to foster advanced learning opportunities while upholding ethical principles. This procedure will be reviewed to account for new AI developments and evolving best practices. We welcome feedback from parents, educators, and community members.

The Blended Learning Coordinators have published several articles on TechTools that cover background information, pros and cons of AI, and general suggestions. Those articles are linked below and are a good place to get a sense of the tools that are out there.

Items in development

• Additional content in Back-to-school course
• Procedure & resource recommendations
• Targeted to Elementary/Middle/HS
• Blogs/newsletters (in addition to currently available TechTools articles, for example)
• District PD
• Several sessions have been done this year, put together by staff for building level training.
• LibGuides AI Resources

AI tools must follow the same request process as other software or services. The established request process has been updated to collect specific information about AI tools.

The master list of software and services (which exists in a public version on our website and a staff version with a bit more detail and data; linked below) has been updated to identify the tools that have been reviewed and with whom they can be used.

We do need to balance student access against the terms of service and data privacy policies of each site. It is important that students are able to experience these tools and learn to use them well, but it is just as vital that we do not expose personally identifiable information about students.

Our priority for purchasing an AI tool is to address some key criteria, including:

• Data privacy
• Appropriate and accessible for K-12 students
• Good selection of tools and features
• Integration with Classlink for rostering and logins
• Cost-effective

The best fit right now is MagicSchool. We have purchased licensing for the 2024-2025 school year, and is it now accessible to staff. Additional details to follow on student access.

You can easily search for suggestions for writing good prompts. I asked Claude & Gemini for their suggestions; using the following prompt: Synthesize the best practices of AI prompt writing tips.

Gemini said:

"Here are the key takeaways for writing effective AI prompts:

• Clarity and Specificity: Be clear and specific about what you want the AI to do. Instead of saying "write a story," say "write a science fiction story about a robot who falls in love with a human." The more details you provide, the better the AI can understand your request.

• Define Your Goal: Know what you want to achieve with the AI's output. Are you looking for a factual summary, a creative text format, or something else entirely?

• Consider the Audience: Who is the content for? Tailoring the prompt to a specific audience will help the AI generate more relevant and effective content.

• Context is King: Provide context for your prompt whenever possible. This could include background information, relevant data, or even examples of the desired output. The more context you give, the better the AI can understand your needs.

• Embrace "Act As If": Use phrases like "Act as if..." to give the AI a specific persona or role to embody. This can help shape the tone and style of the output.

• Iterate and Refine: Don't be afraid to experiment with different prompts and see what works best. You can start with a basic prompt and then add details or change the wording based on the initial results.

• Be Ethical: Consider the potential impact of your prompts and avoid generating harmful, biased, or misleading content."

Claude said:

"Here are some best practices for writing effective prompts for AI language models:

1. **Be clear and specific**: Provide enough context and details in your prompt so the AI understands exactly what you're asking. Vague or ambiguous prompts can lead to irrelevant or confusing responses.

2. **Use examples**: Giving examples, especially for open-ended tasks like writing or analysis, helps guide the AI towards the desired output format and style.

3. **Break down complex tasks**: For multistep tasks, break them down into sequential prompts rather than one huge prompt. This makes it easier for the AI to reason through each step.

4. **Provide constraints and guidelines**: Set clear guidelines like tone, length, formatting, etc. This focuses the AI's output.

5. **Use descriptive prompt titles**: A clear prompt title signals to the AI what kind of task to expect.

6. **Avoid leading questions**: Don't phrase prompts in a way that could unfairly bias the AI's response.

7. **Start open-ended**: For open-ended tasks, provide minimal context first to avoid overconstraining the AI. Then iteratively refine with additional prompts.

8. **Be polite and respectful**: Treat the AI with courtesy, just as you would a human assistant.

9. **Review and refine iteratively**: Don't expect perfection on the first attempt. Provide feedback and updated prompts to steer the AI closer to your goals.

10. **Know the AI's limitations**: Understand what types of tasks the particular AI excels at or struggles with to set appropriate expectations.

The key is finding the right balance of context and constraints for the specific use case to maximally leverage the AI's capabilities."

Yes, and...

I then asked Gemini this question:

What are effective questioning strategies for a journalist?

"A journalist's toolbox relies heavily on sharp questioning skills. Here are some effective strategies to consider:

Before the Interview:

• Goal Setting: Identify what information you need for your story. This helps craft targeted questions and avoids wasting time.
• Research Deeply: Background research allows you to ask insightful questions that delve beyond surface-level information.
• Prepare a List: Create a list of questions, prioritizing them based on importance. Include a mix of open-ended and closed-ended questions for a well-rounded discussion.

During the Interview:

• Open-Ended Power: Use open-ended questions that begin with "how," "why," or "what" to encourage detailed responses and rich storytelling.
• Follow the Flow: Be flexible and adapt your questions based on the interviewee's responses. Interesting tangents can lead to valuable insights.
• Active Listening: Pay close attention to the answers and use follow-up questions to clarify or delve deeper into specific points.
• Clarification is Key: Don't hesitate to ask for clarification if something is unclear or seems contradictory.

Question Types:

• Warm-Up: Start with easier questions to build rapport and ease into the interview.
• In-Depth: Use probing questions to get to the heart of the issue and uncover the "why" behind the "what."
• Challenging (Respectfully): Don't shy away from asking challenging questions, but do so in a respectful and professional manner. This can spark insightful discussions.
• Hypothetical: Hypothetical questions can help gauge someone's perspective and thought process.

Additional Tips:

• Shorter is Better: Concise and clear questions are easier to understand and answer.
• One Question at a Time: Avoid bombarding the interviewee with multiple questions at once.
• Body Language Matters: Maintain good eye contact and an engaged demeanor to encourage open communication.
• Thank You: Always express gratitude to your interviewee for their time and insights.

By mastering these strategies, journalists can craft effective interviews that uncover the hidden stories and provide a deeper understanding of the issues at hand."

The takeaway here is that the skillset involved with getting useful responses from an AI model is multi-disciplinary and one would expect it to already be present in our teaching and in the strategies we would ask students to use.

Best resources out in the world that we know of...

Expand on Training and PD section to include (with permission) any locally developed materials.

Collect specific examples and use cases that others may find useful.

Much of the content here (so far) has been worked on or developed by staff in the LT&E and Technology departments, along with district leadership. This is currently intended to be a standing newsletter with occasional updates as the landscape of AI tools and usage changes.