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Kentucky educators discuss possibilities of artificial intelligence in the classroom

Michael Burton-Straub, Declan Lewis
Posted at 11:50 AM, Aug 16, 2023
and last updated 2023-08-16 11:50:20-04

(LEX 18) — The possibilities with artificial intelligence may seem endless but there are still some concerns for teachers regarding how A.I. could impact the classroom.

Coleman Marshall works with sixth graders at Lexington Christian Academy. He sees the possibilities for A.I. in schools but draws the line at plagiarism.

"The fact someone can go in and type me an essay on tale of two cities or write me an essay on Julius Caesar, and within seconds it does it, that is alarming," said Coleman.

He currently sees a potential for A.I. to allow teachers to streamline their work.

"I think about teachers writing lesson plans, and could there be a technology out there that it analyzes the document for you?"

Other districts in central Kentucky are also looking ahead as the future of A.I. comes into focus.

"A.I. is already all around us. So we're not ignorant to the fact that there's no avoiding it. We understand in the coming months and years we're going to have to find a way to make sure we're safely exposing students to the benefits," said Billy Parker, Scott County Superintendent.

At Lexington Christian Academy, educators say it will be up to them to learn about the possibilities of A.I. and prepare students for a changing world.

"One of the things we learned coming through COVID, and I hate to use that word anymore, but one of the most important lessons we learned was the importance of relationships in the classroom, you can't have a relationship with a computer," said Cassondra Koett, LCA.

"I just think we're so early on, and I think before we hit go and hit the green light on this, there needs to be some pause and time to think about how we use this, morally and ethically, within the classroom," said Coleman.