AI in the K–6 Classroom

With the rise of generative artificial intelligence (AI) models like ChatGPT, many parents (and educators) have questions about its use in the classroom. How is AI changing education? Will it replace teachers? Are students cheating more with this new technology? Is AI something to fear?

“At the elementary school level, AI isn’t being used a lot in the classroom,” says Alicia Gallegos Butters, Director of Educational Technology with the San Diego County Office of Education (SDCOE). Instead, AI is mostly being used by K–6 educators behind the scenes. Since AI technology is continuously evolving and offering new opportunities, educational plans

Anyone who wishes to better understand AI is encouraged to interact with it. If you require access, a partnership between SDCOE and Computers are in place for teachers and students to learn how to use AI responsibly and productively.

2 Kids offers refurbished desktops ($100) and laptops ($150) to qualifying families at monthly events. Learn more at www.c2sdk.org or check SDCOE’s calendar for upcoming dates and locations: www.sdcoe.net/calendars/event.

While nobody can predict the future, most experts agree that AI is here to stay. Below, we discuss some positive ways that AI has already impacted the K–6 landscape, along with potential pitfalls that students, teachers and parents should look out for when using this new technology.

AI helps teachers personalize lessons. According to the California Department of Education (CDE), AIpowered tools can enhance productivity and empower educators to provide more personalized and effective learning experiences. By embracing AI, educators can optimize workflow, save time and elevate education quality.

Although AI has yet to be fully embraced in the classroom, there are many available tools to differentiate education for students. For example, Gallegos Butters explains how AI can be used to change the Lexile level for a passage of reading without changing the subject matter. This allows for effective classroom-wide discussion, while supporting varying levels of individual reading comprehension.

Not only does AI allow teachers to tailor lessons, it also enables them to provide targeted interventions when appropriate. Some AI tools, such as voice typing and language translation, may be especially beneficial for marginalized populations, including students with disabilities and multilingual students. In these ways, AI can support equity in the classroom.

Many educators use AI to facilitate administrative tasks, freeing up more time to focus on in-person interactions with students.

AI is not replacing teachers. School administrators everywhere recognize that students require human interaction to thrive, so teachers aren’t going anywhere.

“AI or any other technology cannot replace the value of a student’s relationship with a caring educator who connects on a human level,” states the CDE. “This is particularly vital in light of school closures that occurred recently (due to the pandemic and other natural disasters) that left many educators and students physically isolated.”

AI isn’t perfect, but it’s a good starting point. AI offers many potential uses in the classroom. It can help start sentences and paragraphs, generate ideas and correct grammatical issues.

AI can also check math problems, assist with online research and—perhaps most importantly—engage a student’s critical thinking skills.

If you’ve ever interacted with AI, however, you’ve probably learned that you can’t trust everything it says. An “AI hallucination” refers to inaccurate information generated by AI.

Teaching students how to fact check

AI-generated information with relevant, established sources is a key focus of responsible AI-use in the classroom.

Students are not cheating more with AI. While ethical lines can be blurry, using AI in itself is not cheating—assuming it is used responsibly. Within SDCOE, teachers are learning how to use AI in ways that prevent students from just copying and pasting information. Students can generate information in AI, and then rewrite it in their own words. They can also use AI as a paragraph starter, and then fact check the information for hallucinations. While there will always be students who cheat, a recent study by Stanford University found that students aren’t cheating more frequently due to AI.

AI is neither good nor bad. Similar to calculators, tablets, computers and smartphones, AI is just the latest evolution of technology in the classroom. It is neither inherently good or bad — but students do need to be taught how to use it responsibly.

The CDE states: “As students are encouraged to question AI-generated information and engage in constructive discussions about AI’s role in education, they build their skills in utilizing AI responsibly. Learning AI skills fosters digital literacy, a fundamental requirement for participating in an increasingly digital world.”

AI isn’t going anywhere. “If we want our students to be successful in the future, they need these skills,” says Gallegos Butters. She encourages parents not to fear AI, while also pointing out that good teaching is good teaching—no matter the tool.

“At SDCOE, our stance is for our teachers to embrace AI because it’s not going away,” she says. “Inviting students to explore using programs such as ChatGPT to help with writing, for example, is a learning opportunity that builds problem-solving skills. If we don’t allow students to use certain aspects, they’ll be at a disadvantage.”

A report by the World Economic Forum in 2023 suggests that over one billion jobs may be fundamentally altered in the coming decade. It also indicates that students will benefit from skills relating to artificial intelligence, machine learning, cloud computing, product management and social media. v

Lisa Pawlak is an award-winning contributing writer who lives in Encinitas with her family.