Exploring how middle school students and teachers can thoughtfully and ethically engage with AI technologies

• In Event: AERA Poster Session Saturday 7:45 am
  In Poster Session: Ethics, Epistemology, and Critical Perspectives on AI in Education

Abstract

Although the field of educational technology has multiple frameworks for using and adopting technology, in this roundtable we argue that generative AI “adoption” is unique because of the sudden availability of gen AI-enabled tools (e.g., ChatGPT) accessible to most students, often without their parents’ or teachers’ consent. As corporations eagerly embed AI into existing tools (e.g., Google search) and create new ones, the use of AI in school isn’t something teachers or parents can always control. How, then, might middle school teachers and students thoughtfully and ethically engage with these powerful technologies? In this roundtable, we share data from focus groups of middle school students, parents, and teachers and invite participants to think with us about this critical question.

Authors

• Christine Wusylko, Kennesaw State University

• Xiaoman Wang, Western Michigan University

• Bridget Newell, University of Florida

• Angela M. Kohnen, University of Florida

• Loraine Cisternas-Garcia, University of Florida

• Priyadharshini Ganapathy Prasad, University of Florida

• Albert Dieter Ritzhaupt, University of Florida

• Anthony Botelho, University of Florida

• Kevin Cen, University of Florida