AI can be a huge help to teachers

Artificial Intelligence programs have arrived in our schools in a big way. And while we can debate all day about the pros and cons of students using AI in school, one thing that ISN’T up for debate is this: AI will continue to have a huge impact on our lives. Students should understand how it works and its implications..

Seriously. With future policy makers, business leaders, and software developers among our students, making sure they get how artificial intelligence can be safely used is an important part of them understanding the world around them

A young Girls Who Code Club participant points at her classmates laptop screen to help her

At NewBoCo, we’ve certainly noticed that while working with educators across Iowa. There is a clear need for professional development in Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML) technologies. And we’re already working to address it.

NewBoCo has collaborated with MindSpark Education and the University of Maryland to design an AI professional development series. We aim to provide educators with a high-level understanding of how AI and ML impact our society. We’re also offering tangible resources and activities that educators could use to support teaching these concepts in the classroom.

Participants in our AI program will experience activities and modules around perception, natural interaction, and the societal impact of AI. They will create a lesson plan — and receive other lesson plans generated by their peers — to help take what they learned back to their educational environments. Participants can earn 1 teacher relicensure credit, 1 Continuing Education Unit (CEU), or 15 DHS Clock Hours.

For those who want to know more, we’re offering a virtual information session at 4 p.m. on January 31st. Register her e.

In-person workshops for NewBoCo’s AI Professional Development program will be scheduled during the weeks of July 29 th and August 5 th . Virtual learning sessions will be scheduled for late fall of 2024. We plan to offer at least one in-person workshop in each STEM region pending demand.

You can learn more and get signed up at https://newbo.co/education/educators/ai-professional-development/

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Rob Merritt

Rob Merritt is an award-winning writer, editor, and videographer who crossed over into his current role after a decade of working in the journalism industry. He is a longtime Eastern Iowan and a graduate of the University of Iowa and volunteers with multiple nonprofits and theatre organizations. Rob is always exploring new ways to tell the stories of his community.