AI in Classrooms: Here's the Raw Deal
Trump Proposes New Executive Order to Incorporate Artificial Intelligence in Kindergarten to 12th Grade Education
Schools in the US are burning through cash on essentials like pencils and paper, and the new Education Secretary is working hard to keep Trump's promise of minimizing federal intervention in education, unless universities axe free speech rights.
But AI is a different ball game: a draft executive order plans to pump more funds into AI education, diverting federal bucks to nurture "AI literacy" skills among students and teachers. The order, tentatively titled "AI for the Masses," emphasizes that AI is "revolutionizing industries, boosting productivity, and reshaping our lives and work."
The Trump administration might be responding directly to China, who's been busy restructuring their classrooms by shoehorning AI apps into textbooks and teaching materials. The US and China are in a deadlock to set the pace in AI, hoping to secure their global influence. China's been giving the US a run for its money, aiming to nudge the US off its global pedestal.
This new executive order would spawn a White House task force on AI education, inviting tech bigwigs like Michael Kratsios, director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy, and Trump's advisor on crypto and AI, David Sacks.
Here's the lowdown from the Washington Post on the US executive order, which is still in the works:
The draft order encourages federal agencies to team up with private, academic, and nonprofit groups to teach students the foundations of AI and critical thinking skills. It also tasks the task force to scour existing federal funding, like grants, that could be applied to AI programs. Agencies should prioritize spending on AI education, as per the draft order. It also instructs Education Secretary Linda McMahon to prioritize federal grant funding for training teachers to use AI, particularly for administrative tasks and professional development. All educators should receive ongoing training to integrate AI into all subjects, the draft order suggests.
It's a little paradoxical to see 'AI' and 'critical thinking' in the same sentence, as they're mutually exclusive.
A study by Microsoft and Carnegie Mellon University revealed that people who trusted the accuracy of AI assistants thought less critically about the tools' conclusions. Plus, experts have cautioned that newer programmers are merely regurgitating answers provided by coding bots, potentially skimping on fundamental knowledge needed to debug problems or devise better solutions. Users on platforms like X rely on chatbots to provide counterarguments in debates without verifying the factual accuracy of what they're sharing.
There's no need to panic if precautions are taken to make these tools beneficial. AI can wade through data mountains efficiently and translate old works into English. But it's fair to question whether schools, often tech-averse, will execute this correctly. Most people still don't comprehend how AI models truly work, and many schools are wrestling with keeping students focused, even when there's an argument that technology is necessary for productivity in the 21st century.
Nothing exemplifies the disconnect more than Education Secretary McMahon's gaffe, confusing the term "artificial intelligence" with "A1," the steak sauce. Good luck implanting ChatGPT o4-mini!
AI Education Insights
The proposed draft executive order on AI education in the United States proposes several key initiatives:
White House Task Force
The draft order suggests creating a White House task force on AI education, headed by the director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy, along with other federal officials such as the secretaries of education, agriculture, labor, and energy.
Teacher Training
The order highlights the importance of professional development programs for educators to equip them to integrate AI into all subject areas effectively.
Public-Private Partnerships
The order directs federal agencies to forge partnerships with academia, industry, and nonprofits to improve AI literacy and critical thinking skills in students.
Registered Apprenticeships
The draft order includes a mandate for the Labor Secretary to develop registered apprenticeships in AI-related fields, with the goal of providing students with practical experience.
AI Competition
A national AI competition, known as the "Presidential AI Challenge," is proposed to motivate students and educators to showcase their AI skills.
Funding and Resources
The order instructs federal agencies to identify and allocate existing funds to AI education initiatives, specifically focusing on teacher training and AI literacy programs.
Integrating AI into Classrooms
Integrating AI into classrooms involves several strategies:
- AI Literacy: The order aims to boost students' understanding of AI fundamentals and applications.
- Critical Thinking Skills: It's essential to develop critical thinking skills, allowing students to evaluate AI technologies accurately and understand their implications.
- Teacher Support: Providing ongoing professional development for teachers ensures they can integrate AI into their teaching methods effectively.
- Public-Private Partnerships: Joint initiatives with industry and academia facilitate the creation of practical and relevant AI education programs, meeting the needs of the workforce.
- The draft executive order in the US aims to create a White House task force on AI education, spearheaded by the director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy and other federal officials.
- The order focuses on professional development programs for educators to enable them to effectively integrate AI into all subject areas.
- To improve AI literacy and critical thinking skills in students, the order encourages public-private partnerships between federal agencies, academia, industry, and nonprofits.
- The order also mandates the Labor Secretary to develop registered apprenticeships in AI-related fields to offer students practical experience, and proposes a national AI competition, the "Presidential AI Challenge," to showcase AI skills.
