THUNDER BAY – With the growing use of artificial intelligence in educational settings, education leaders from across the region gathered in the city for training with the goal of using AI effectively.
The Northern Ontario Educations Leaders (NOEL) consortium hosted a professional learning session on AI, led by Future Design School on Thursday at the Da Vinci Centre.
“Artificial intelligence can be very intimidating, and we recognize that when we don't know a whole lot of information deeply, it can be intimidating. The more we know, the less intimidating it is because the more we are in control of what is happening,” said Nicole Morden Cormier, professional development consultant with NOEL.
There were about 130 education professionals in the city Thursday, learning how to use AI in the best and safest way.
“We have everyone from classroom educators to board office staff and we have all of the directors of education and the superintendents of education. Future Design School has ensured that they have created a program that helps every single individual understand how artificial intelligence can positively impact their role, but also the cautionary tale as well, so we have all of these individuals in the same room learning and working together,” she said
Morden Cormier said she encourages everyone to dig deeply into understanding the positive aspects of artificial intelligence and also the negative biases that can be introduced.
“We as an education group believe that our children need to understand key concepts and need to be able to think deeply. They also need to have social skills that are going to provide them with the foundation to be able to do work in the future, to have those important careers, and so we are trying to have a very balanced approach to our learning today,” Morden Cormier said.
Maria Vasanelli, chair of the consortium, said NOEL advocates for the unique needs of school boards in the North.
“School boards in the North are very different than our southern counterparts, and I think it's important for directors of education to come together, be united in working for students on behalf of students.”
Vasanelli, who is also the director of education for Superior North Catholic District School Board, said AI is one of the most important things that has come out of the last 100 years.
“Either we learn and get on board and move forward, or we will be left in the dark. It's important for our school boards and our students to be on top of this cutting-edge intelligence,” she said.
Future Design School is an education advisory firm located in Toronto that works with schools and districts around the world, explained Leslie McBeth, director of special projects.
“We're here today to help the education leaders in Northern Ontario think about the impact of AI on education, thinking about both the possibilities and the challenges that that presents.
“We're taking a very optimistic approach, thinking about how this has the potential to really transform education to make learning more relevant and engaging for kids, to meet kids where they're at and really help them to reach those learning gains, but also knowing that that needs to be done very intentionally and very carefully because of the technologies,” she said.
McBeth said conversations include how to be intentional about the use of AI in education, and what does it look like for kids to engage in AI learning.
“I think the initial reaction we saw from schools around the world was a bit of a panic. We've really come a long way over the past few years in terms of the global conversation that's happening around how this can be leveraged for good in education, and that's really been the focus of the past couple of years.”
