TWIN FALLS, Idaho (KMVT/KSVT) — As artificial intelligence becomes more integrated into society, a new $4 million grant awarded to the Idaho State Board of Education aims to help students better understand AI’s uses when they enter the workforce.
The grant will last four years and is from the federal government. A significant issue that has become very prevalent in schools is artificial intelligence.
Chief Academic Officer Heidi Estrem said the goal is to support colleges and universities that are helping students use AI in ethical, human-forward ways.
“We talk a lot in higher ed about having a human in the loop when you are using AI, and one of the challenges that the grant addresses is some of the unequal access that’s out there for students,” Estrem said.
Educators want to focus on two main things: helping students understand how different AI tools can assist them based on the field of work they plan to go into.
At the same time, they want to highlight that the technology is not meant to be a crutch that does all the work for them or take away critical thinking.
“AI literacy is already expected for our graduates and so we see this as a workforce readiness initiative that will help our students be prepared. Ideally on par with how students in other differently resourced states and systems are,” Estrem said.
The grant is expected to help 90,000 students annually during its four-year term.
Another key part, Estrem said, is a requirement that the board research and gather data on how secondary education institutions implement AI in their curricula.
“Part of this is developing a playbook that other states can use. So we see this as a way that we’ll continue to be positioned as a national leader and really grow in that area,” Estrem said.
The grant could also help with any statewide legislation regarding AI in education. Estrem said the Idaho Legislature still needs to approve the funding as part of the state’s budget.
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