My trip to the frontier of AI education

🌈 Abstract

The article discusses the pioneering use of AI tools in the classroom at First Avenue Elementary School in Newark, New Jersey. It highlights the creative ways teachers are using AI-powered tools like Khanmigo to support their teaching and help students learn.

🙋 Q&A

[01] School of thought

1. What are some of the ways teachers at First Avenue Elementary School are using AI-powered tools like Khanmigo in their classrooms?

• Leticia Colon, an 8th grade algebra teacher, used Khanmigo to create problem sets about local Newark heroes that her students were interested in, like boxer Shakur Stevenson.
• Cheryl Drakeford, a 3rd grade math and science teacher, uses Khanmigo to help create rubrics and lesson hooks for assignments, which she then tailors for her students.
• Teachers can access student dashboards to easily track student progress, saving them time.
• Students are using Khanmigo as a personalized tutor.

2. What are some of the limitations and challenges the teachers have faced with the AI tools so far?

• The AI struggled to pronounce Hispanic names and only had a male voice option, highlighting the need for more inclusive and engaging design.
• It took some teachers several tries to get the AI to give them the desired output.
• The technology is still in early stages and not yet perfect, but the teachers see great potential as it matures.

[02] My trip to the frontier of AI education

1. What was the author's overall impression of the use of AI in the classrooms at First Avenue Elementary School?

• The author was "blown away by how creatively the teachers were using the tools" and left feeling more optimistic than ever that AI will help teachers do what they do best and free them up to focus on what matters most.
• The author saw the visit as a glimpse into the "frontier of AI education" and the "incredible potential of the technology."

2. What is the Gates Foundation's role and goals in supporting the use of AI-powered education tools?

• The Gates Foundation is focused on ensuring AI tools reach and support all students, not just a few, with the goal of helping to level the playing field rather than widen existing gaps.
• They are working with educators across the country to get feedback and make the technology more responsive to their needs.