The Age of AI: What Kids Need to Learn

Four Emerging Design Challenges for the Field

The uncertainty of how best to use AI in schools makes this a complex moment for education funders and leaders to make decisions about what efforts to support.  Based on the feedback we heard, we have sketched out four design challenges for the field to consider, outlined below.  Share your response to these initial thoughts and give us your ideas on what the field needs.

Design Challenge #1: How can AI integrate into core curricula to help teachers ensure students reach grade-level mastery?

Many interviewees emphasized that schools must prioritize core knowledge and skills, particularly in early-grade math and literacy. With millions of students currently performing below grade-level benchmarks, this is a critical area for AI research and development. While many ed tech products (AI tutors, supplemental tools, etc) are aiming at this challenge, the evidence base around what’s working is still thin. And layering supplemental “add-on” tools over existing curricula distracts both teachers and students. How can ongoing education R&D create integrated, effective tools to activate stronger teaching and deeper learning of core skills?

Design Challenge #2: How can AI make it easy to give students more learning experiences that build critical thinking and other durable skills?

Many interviewees highlighted a need for schools to do more to foster durable skills like critical thinking, problem-solving, and collaboration. Strong research already exists on the impact of project based and experiential learning to develop these skills. So how can AI be deployed to make it easier for teachers in varying school contexts to put this research into practice?

Design Challenge #3: How can AI be used to personalize instruction and also strengthen student-teacher and peer relationships?

Several interviewees raised the learning paradox presented by AI: while AI can efficiently personalize learning, increased screen time crowds out the social interaction essential for developing essential human skills. How could AI be designed to balance increased personalization with developing the human connections students need to thrive?

Design Challenge #4: How can we ensure all students develop AI literacy as a core skill?

Many teachers and students we interviewed called for increasing focus on a yet undefined subject, “AI literacy”. Currently, competing AI literacy frameworks make it hard for educators to make good decisions about what to pilot. The development of clear standards, curricula and instructional guidance seems like a necessary step. How should K-12 approach teach students to understand algorithms, design and evaluate AI outputs, and navigate ethical use of AI?

We want your input!

What skills and knowledge do you think K-12 should prioritize students mastering in the age of AI?

What design challenges should we consider sponsoring to ensure AI use in education leads to greater student mastery?

Fill out the form at the link below to send us your idea(s).

Share Your Ideas