AI @ Westside

Resources for parents, teachers and the community

What is AI?

Artificial intelligence (AI) is a branch of computer science that deals with the creation of intelligent agents, which are systems that can reason, learn, and act autonomously. AI research has been highly successful in developing effective techniques for solving a wide range of problems, from game playing to medical diagnosis.

One way to understand AI is to think about it as a way to teach computers to do things that they wouldn't normally be able to do. For example, you could teach a computer to play chess by giving it a set of rules and then letting it learn from its mistakes. Over time, the computer would become better at playing chess, even if you didn't give it any new information.

AI is being used in a wide range of applications today, including:

Self-driving cars
Medical diagnosis
Fraud detection
Product recommendations
Voice assistants
Machine translation

AI is a rapidly developing field, and new applications are being developed all the time. AI has the potential to revolutionize many industries and aspects of our lives.

Here is a great analogy on how this works:

Imagine a computer as a student. You can teach the student to do things by giving it instructions and examples. For example, you could teach the student to multiply numbers by showing it how to do it on a calculator.

Over time, the student will learn from its mistakes and become better at multiplying numbers. Eventually, the student will be able to multiply numbers without you even having to help it.

AI is similar. It is a way to teach computers to do things by giving them data and examples. Over time, the computer will learn from the data and become better at doing the task.

For example, you could teach a computer to recognize objects in images by showing it a large dataset of images with labels. The computer would learn to associate the labels with the objects in the images. Over time, the computer would be able to recognize objects in new images without you having to label them.

AI is a powerful tool that can be used to solve a wide range of problems. It is important to understand how AI works so that we can use it responsibly and ethically.

What does AI look like at Westside?

Westside Community Schools is on the forefront of the issues of AI in education. We've proactively engaged with our community, including experts at UNO to help develop guiding principles for the use of AI in the classroom.

Our guiding principles are:

Clarity and Transparency in its use
Be open and acknowledge the pitfalls
Used to support learning, not replace learning
Be safe and conscious about data privacy and security

Want more detail? Check out the link below to download a copy of the presentation shared with our community on November 7th.

Download Presentation

Resources about AI

Want to learn more? Check out the resources below!

What is AI? How does it impact Teachers

In this short video, Dr. Lindgren and Dr. Lee walk you through what AI is and its impact on education.

ChatGPT Through an Education Lense

Explore resources put together by teachers for teachers on ChatGPT. Great for parents, teachers and administrators.

ISTE - ChatGPT for Educators

In my three decades in education, I’ve come to learn many things. One is that change moves at a snail’s pace until something steps in to challenge the status quo.

Enter ChatGPT.

As you’ve no doubt heard, since this artificial intelligence program became freely available to the public, ChatGPT has made educators nervous, excited and curious about the impact it will have on our field.

Khanmigo - AI Tutor by Khan Academy

Khanmigo is an AI guide created by Khan Academy. It's an AI based tutor for students and educators to use.

Common Sense Education

Free Resources to Explore and use ChatGPT and AI

FAQ

Have a question about AI? Check out our FAQ below for answers to many common questions.

What is generative AI?

How can generative AI be used in education?

AI can be used in education in a variety of ways, including:

Creating personalized learning experiences: AI can be used to create personalized learning experiences for each student, based on their individual needs and interests. For example, generative AI can be used to create personalized practice problems, writing prompts, and feedback.
Promoting creativity and problem-solving: AI can be used to promote creativity and problem-solving skills in students. For example, generative AI can be used to create educational games and simulations, or to help students develop new creative ideas.
Improving accessibility: AI can be used to improve accessibility for students with different learning styles and needs. For example, generative AI can be used to translate text into different languages, or to create accessible versions of educational materials.

What are some of the benefits of using generative AI in education?

Some of the benefits of using generative AI in education include:

More personalized learning: Generative AI can help create more personalized learning experiences for each student, based on their individual needs and interests. This can lead to better student outcomes.
Increased engagement: Generative AI can be used to create more engaging and interactive learning experiences. This can help students learn more effectively and efficiently.
Improved accessibility: Generative AI can be used to improve accessibility for students with different learning styles and needs. This can help ensure that all students have the opportunity to succeed in school.

What are some of the challenges of using generative AI in education?

Some of the challenges of using generative AI in education include:

Data privacy and security: It is important to ensure that generative AI tools are used in a way that protects student data privacy and security.
Bias and fairness: Generative AI tools can be biased, which means that they may produce content that is inaccurate, unfair, or offensive. It is important to be aware of this potential bias and to take steps to mitigate it.
Equity and access: Not all students have equal access to generative AI tools. It is important to make sure that all students have the opportunity to benefit from these tools, regardless of their background or socioeconomic status.

How can I make sure that my child is using generative AI safely and responsibly?

There are a few things you can do to make sure that your child is using generative AI safely and responsibly:

Talk to your child about online safety and the importance of being responsible when using technology.
Set ground rules for using generative AI, such as only using it with a trusted adult present.
Monitor your child's use of generative AI and be aware of the content they are creating.
Talk to your child's teacher about how generative AI is being used in the classroom and how you can work together to support your child's learning.

Can you block AI from being used?

Student accounts are prohibited from accessing many AI tools. However, anyone may utilize a personal account to create accounts on the various AI services.

Our focus is on teaching responsible use of the new technology.

Be aware, many tools have an age requirement. For example, Google Bard requires a user to be 18 or older. ChatGPT requires a user to be 13 or older with parental consent.

Have more questions? Get in touch with us by emailing:

communications@westside66.net