by LANNA Secondary
Sean Monahan, Head of High School
How to Navigate AI in Secondary Education
At Lanna International School, our mission is captured by the phrase “Academic Excellence, Caring Community.” That mission involves comprehending and utilising technology, as Artificial Intelligence (AI) has become an enduring presence in our world. AI is here to stay – whether we like it or not!
It’s important to recognise the need for students to be digitally savvy and we are committed to fostering a future-ready generation.
We pledge to guide our students through an ethical and responsible integration of AI in their learning journey. And at LANNA, we go beyond merely acknowledging the presence of AI; we promise to educate our students on its effective and fair use, empowering them to wield it as a tool rather than a crutch.
While navigating the changing nature of AI in Education, we:
- Educate students on the effective and fair use of AI.
- Empower students to use it as a tool – and not a crutch.
- Deliver engaging, supportive and differentiated lessons that embrace technology – with clear guidelines.
- Be transparent and honest with you as policies develop.
- Be in touch if AI is misused!
What can AI do to support learning?
Nothing can replace the foundational learning that a teacher can provide.
“Good AI use is the same as good teaching. It’s about educating students on the theory of knowledge, the process of learning and why.”
AI is only as supportive as we ask it to be – it’s about asking the right questions and asking it to expand its responses to best serve our learning objectives.
We prefer to see AI as an additional member of our learning community, rather than a calculator or answer generator. We must communicate with it, engage with it and value the process of learning with it.
We view the following as some of the best practices for utilising AI. AI can:
- Be used as a study tool and resource.
- Be used to summarise information and draw out key points.
- Search out information from multiple sources (with caution).
- Empower students to explore processes and methods.
What shouldn’t AI be used for?
When using AI in academic activities, it’s crucial to uphold principles of honesty and integrity. Equally important is clearly defining the limits of AI application.
At LANNA, we think that AI should not be used:
- To generate content.
- To reword / disguise content.
- To seek answers in a vacuum.
- In place of teaching (because context is important)
What can we do to ensure Academic Integrity
The school is committed to educating students about the responsible and ethical use of AI in academic settings. For example, to detect the use of AI, teachers at LANNA are employing software in combination with their knowledge of a students’ language and prior work.
We encouraged students to ask questions and seek clarification on how to appropriately incorporate AI-generated content into their work, while upholding the principles of academic honesty.
Another reality to recognise is that AI lives outside the classroom.
So, what can you do as a Parent at home?
- Provide a constructive space for study.
- Join your child’s Google Classroom.
- Take an active interest in your child’s Homework.
- Discuss the Homework “process” that they are following.
- Promote the use of AI in the ‘correct ways’.
- Trust your LANNA teachers! We are already supporting the use of AI and the promotion of academic integrity in so many ways. We know your children, we know their work and we are here to help!
Want to see AI in action?
As you can see, AI is a powerful tool!
It’s here to stay and we hope to empower our students’ use.
Experience the impact of AI in Education at the upcoming Teens in AI Tech Conference, held here at LANNA on 16-17 March, 2024.
