The Greenville County School District’s Board of Trustees has created an ad hoc committee to review the use of artificial intelligence in the classroom.The district piloted a program in the spring that tested the use of Magic School, an AI software tool designed for educational use. Unlike Chat GPT or similar technologies, the software is designed by teachers for teachers and students.Since the full implementation this school year, Board Chair Dr. Carolyn Styles said the district has seen learning gaps being bridged.”It is a highly effective tool. And we found that it’s closing the learning gaps for many of our students and accelerating students who could benefit from acceleration,” Styles said. “It helps to personalize learning for our students. It builds their learning one step at a time, which allows the students, all the students, to focus on grade level standards and learn at their own rate.”A teacher who works within the virtual program in Greenville County said it can help her create lesson plans, tables and graphs. It can help her create unique assignments that challenge her students.Her students are also able to create personalized learning experiences, including having a hypothetical conversation with a historical figure to learn more about their life or understanding and solving complex problems and curriculum. While the Magic School program is available for use at all schools across the district, Styles said it is not a requirement. Those who would like to use it are required to go through professional development training.”It’s not a requirement at this point. It’s simply a tool to enhance student learning and to personalize learning to close achievement gaps,” Styles said.The committee is made up of five board members and it is designed to review policies based on the information gathered from legal counsel, academic teams, families and educators.“Our district has a very comprehensive group of policies for curriculum and instruction. They were designed at a time when we were not looking at AI instruction,” Styles said. The district could look at changing or adding to those policies in the future. “Based on the information that we’re learning, we’re determining what we would like to see. We’re trying to build a framework for a policy that will not be finalized until it comes before the full board,” Styles said. “Looking at that more closely and more deeply, it’s important that we have parameters that guide our district, our administrators, our teachers, and how we expect them to use this technology, how we want to make sure that it’s safe and protected.”Styles said the first items they are hoping to tackle are time management and use in the classroom, data protection and transparency.
The Greenville County School District’s Board of Trustees has created an ad hoc committee to review the use of artificial intelligence in the classroom.
The district piloted a program in the spring that tested the use of Magic School, an AI software tool designed for educational use. Unlike Chat GPT or similar technologies, the software is designed by teachers for teachers and students.
Since the full implementation this school year, Board Chair Dr. Carolyn Styles said the district has seen learning gaps being bridged.
“It is a highly effective tool. And we found that it’s closing the learning gaps for many of our students and accelerating students who could benefit from acceleration,” Styles said. “It helps to personalize learning for our students. It builds their learning one step at a time, which allows the students, all the students, to focus on grade level standards and learn at their own rate.”
A teacher who works within the virtual program in Greenville County said it can help her create lesson plans, tables and graphs. It can help her create unique assignments that challenge her students.
Her students are also able to create personalized learning experiences, including having a hypothetical conversation with a historical figure to learn more about their life or understanding and solving complex problems and curriculum.
While the Magic School program is available for use at all schools across the district, Styles said it is not a requirement. Those who would like to use it are required to go through professional development training.
“It’s not a requirement at this point. It’s simply a tool to enhance student learning and to personalize learning to close achievement gaps,” Styles said.
The committee is made up of five board members and it is designed to review policies based on the information gathered from legal counsel, academic teams, families and educators.
“Our district has a very comprehensive group of policies for curriculum and instruction. They were designed at a time when we were not looking at AI instruction,” Styles said.
The district could look at changing or adding to those policies in the future.
“Based on the information that we’re learning, we’re determining what we would like to see. We’re trying to build a framework for a policy that will not be finalized until it comes before the full board,” Styles said. “Looking at that more closely and more deeply, it’s important that we have parameters that guide our district, our administrators, our teachers, and how we expect them to use this technology, how we want to make sure that it’s safe and protected.”
Styles said the first items they are hoping to tackle are time management and use in the classroom, data protection and transparency.