The New York City Education Department is leading an initiative to reshape teaching practices and improve feedback in schools using artificial intelligence (AI). They plan to establish an institute dedicated to exploring AI in education. This effort aims to use AI to track and analyze teacher practices, benefiting both educators and students.
A promising AI tool being developed is a chatbot called ChatGPT. It helps students understand difficult concepts and speeds up their research, improving the learning experience. However, concerns have been raised about the tool's limitations, particularly its ability to capture important moments from classroom videos that fall outside its predefined categories.
Leading the development of this AI tool is the Urban Assembly Institute, a network of 21 schools in New York City. Principal Soares is actively involved, collaborating with the American Institutes of Research to ensure its effectiveness. The goal is to use AI to track and analyze various aspects of teacher practice, such as student and teacher engagement, expressions of joy or frustration, and the evaluation of teachers' language.
To ensure the tool's accuracy, it will be trained using videos from Urban Assembly schools. However, this approach may introduce biases based on the school demographics. To address this, project leaders propose incorporating videos from other Urban Assembly schools with similar demographics. This will capture a broader range of teaching practices and benefit more educators.
While supporters believe AI coaching can save time and improve teaching, some teachers have concerns about its accuracy and usefulness. Liza Backman, a science teacher and coach, emphasizes the need for coaches to interpret the data rather than relying solely on AI feedback.
Judy Cappuccio, a math teacher and coach, remains open to AI assistance but is skeptical. She highlights the importance of balancing AI technology with human expertise in the coaching process.
Using videos for evaluation allows teachers to reflect on their practices and make improvements. However, it presents challenges as coaches spend hours reviewing a single video, limiting scalability.
Despite concerns about biases and misinformation, advocates argue that the benefits of the AI tool outweigh the drawbacks. It saves time and resources without replacing coaches, acting as a complement to assist teachers in self-reflection and growth.
The Urban Assembly Institute is driving the development of this AI tool, aiming to expand teacher participation. Principal Soares believes that potentially missing certain moments in videos is worth it if more teachers can benefit from the program's insights and feedback.
The New York City Education Department, in collaboration with Urban Assembly, is investing approximately $500,000 over two years to develop and implement this AI tool. As it rolls out to the 21 schools in the Urban Assembly network, AI's impact on tracking teacher practice and improving feedback promises to revolutionize teaching practices citywide.
The integration of AI in education is an ongoing journey, balancing technology benefits with educator expertise. Addressing concerns about biases, accuracy, and the role of coaches is crucial. By fostering collaboration and continuous improvement, AI can provide more effective and personalized learning experiences for teachers and students.
In conclusion, AI-powered tools have immense potential for tracking teacher practice and providing feedback in New York City schools. Despite challenges, AI can transform teaching practices and enhance educational outcomes with careful consideration and ongoing refinement.
0 Comments