Tag: Artificial Intelligence

We need to make you aware of a new category of software that poses a significant security and data privacy risk to our students and our district: AI-powered web browsers.

You may see news about browsers like ChatGPT Atlas (from OpenAI) and Perplexity Comet. These are not standard browsers like Chrome. They are built with powerful AI “agents” that can take actions on a user’s behalf, such as summarizing pages, booking appointments, or even completing tasks for them.

While the features may sound helpful, they introduce severe dangers that violate our student data privacy obligations and acceptable use policies. Teachers and students should not be using these browsers for school-related business.

The Core Dangers: Why These Browsers Are Not Permitted

1. Extreme Data Privacy & FERPA Risks:
   • Unlike Chrome, these browsers are designed to read, understand, and “remember” the entire content of every webpage a student visits.
   • OpenAI’s “Browser Memories” feature in Atlas, for example, creates a persistent profile of the user’s activity.
   • Using these tools with any student information (grades, IEPs, or even just student names) could be a direct violation of FERPA, as unvetted third-party companies would be collecting and storing protected educational data.
2. Critical Security Vulnerabilities (Prompt Injection):
   • Security researchers have demonstrated a new attack called “indirect prompt injection.”
   • This is where a malicious website hides invisible instructions (in code, comments, or even white text on a white background) on its page.
   • When a student simply asks the AI to “summarize this page,” the AI can be tricked into executing those hidden, malicious commands without the student’s knowledge.
   • In documented tests, attackers used this method to steal a user’s email, access their private Gmail account, and extract passwords.
3. “Agent Mode” Can Be Hijacked:
   • The “agent mode” in these browsers is designed to take autonomous actions for the user.
   • OpenAI itself warns that these agents are “susceptible to hidden malicious instructions” and that their “safeguards will not stop every attack.”
   • This could lead to an AI agent being tricked into downloading malware, making unauthorized purchases, or sending sensitive data from a student’s account to an attacker.

Our Policy: Google Chrome is Required

Our district’s acceptable use policy, which requires that all students (including BYOD) log in to and use Google Chrome, is in place specifically to prevent these kinds of risks.

• Google Chrome is Vetted: We manage the Chrome environment. We control the extensions, enforce safe browsing, and have a data privacy agreement (DPA) with Google that ensures FERPA compliance.
• AI Browsers Are Unvetted: We have no DPA with these new companies. They are not enterprise-ready for schools and, as one security firm noted, can be up to 85% more vulnerable to phishing attacks than Chrome.

What to Do:

• Do Not Install: Please ensure these browsers (ChatGPT Atlas, Perplexity Comet, etc.) are not installed on any school device. If you as a teacher bring your own device to work, do not use these browsers for school-related business.
• Talk to Your Students: Remind students that using unapproved software on their BYOD devices while connected to the school network is a policy violation. Explain that while the new features seem “smart,” they can easily be tricked into stealing their personal information.
• Reinforce Chrome Use: Please ensure students on BYOD devices are logged into their school-provided Google Chrome profile. This is our first and best line of defense.

If you have any questions, please submit a tech ticket.

Thank you for your help in keeping our students and their data safe.

You may have noticed the Gemini symbol (a little, black diamond) appear near your Minimize, Maximize, and Close buttons in the upper right corner of Chrome. This is an AI browsing assistant built directly into the Chrome browser. Its key capability is its ability to use the context of the current web page you are on, plus up to 10 other open browser tabs, to answer questions, synthesize information, and conduct in-depth analysis. This makes it an incredibly powerful tool for complex tasks like content research and summarizing multiple sources. Please note that it is only available for teachers using their P-CCS account.

Key Features of Gemini in Chrome:
Intelligent Summarization: Gemini can quickly summarize the content of lengthy articles and web pages, providing you with the key takeaways in a concise format. This allows for rapid comprehension of complex topics and saves valuable time.

Cross-Tab Information Synthesis: One of the most powerful aspects of this integration is Gemini’s ability to understand the context across multiple open tabs. You can ask questions that require information from different sources, and Gemini will synthesize the relevant details to provide a comprehensive answer.

Seamless Integration with Google Workspace: For users of Google’s productivity suite, Gemini in Chrome offers a significant workflow advantage. It can interact with Google Docs, Sheets, and other Workspace applications, allowing you to perform tasks like creating documents, summarizing notes, or drafting emails directly from the browser’s AI interface.

Here are concrete, time-saving ways Gemini in Chrome can help a teacher during a busy school day.

Please note: While AI tools like Gemini in Chrome can feel incredibly helpful, remember they are powerful tools, not magic wands. They assist and generate based on data, but human judgment, creativity, and critical thinking remain essential for effective teaching.

• Differentiate on the Fly: Have an article that’s too difficult for some students? With the page open, tell Gemini: Rewrite this text for a 4th-grade reading level.
• Generate Materials Instantly: Need a quick activity? Ask Gemini: Create a 5-question exit ticket about the water cycle. or Make a simple grading rubric for a student presentation on a historical figure.
• Brainstorm Quick Ideas: Stuck in a planning rut? Ask: Give me 3 creative ways to start a lesson on fractions.
• Summarize Long Resources: Found a long district document or a dense article? Have Gemini Summarize the key takeaways from this page so you can decide if it’s worth a full read.
• Create Simple Explanations: Struggling to explain a concept? Ask: Explain photosynthesis using an analogy a 6th grader would understand.

AI chatbots are here, and while they offer exciting possibilities, they also challenge how we assess student learning. It’s time to shift our focus to what AI can’t replicate: the unique human element. Let’s adapt our assessments to celebrate student thinking, not just AI output.

Here are some practical, quick strategies to assess student authorship in this new era:

• Why This, Not That?” Reflections: Ask students to explain their choices. Why this word? What else did you consider? Uncover their reasoning.
• “Behind the Scenes” Explanations: When presenting, students share their process: What challenges did you face? How did your ideas evolve?
• Source Analysis: Go beyond citations. Ask how sources shaped their thinking.
• Personalized Prompts: Connect assignments to their lives. How does X relate to your understanding of Y? AI can’t replicate personal experience.
• Process-Based Assessment: Break down projects (outlines, drafts). Last-minute AI use becomes obvious.
• “My Thinking Journey” Journals: Encourage reflection on their process through notes and visuals. This is a personal artifact.
• “Explain Your Thinking” Annotations: Ask students to justify their choices directly in their work.
• Audio/Video Explanations: Have students verbally explain their work for a personal touch.

Keep in mind that AI is getting better at explaining its output, so you may want to be careful about holding these reflection sessions during the school day. Below is one example of how AI explained its thought process.

We’re always seeking ways to engage our students. Here are some helpful tips we’ve gathered:

• Know Their Voices: Familiarize yourself with individual student writing.
• In-Class Writing: Observe their real-time writing process (be mindful of limitations).
• Formative Assessment: Track progress over time, not just final products.
• Thoughtful Prompts: As one teacher said, “If you don’t want generic answers, don’t ask generic questions.” Focus on emotional intelligence and experience.
• Explore AI Together: Understand its limitations with your students.

These strategies offer a path forward in the age of AI, ensuring our students continue to develop the critical human skills necessary for their growth and success.

In today’s educational landscape, particularly with the increasing presence of AI writing tools, the value of short, focused writing activities (across the curriculum) conducted within the classroom and accompanied by immediate feedback cannot be overstated. These brief in-class exercises provide a crucial opportunity for students to practice and internalize writing skills in a controlled environment, allowing teachers to offer timely guidance and address misconceptions before they solidify.

There are many ways to integrate frequent, short writing reps with quick feedback. In many cases this can be achieved in Google tools or Canvas. However, the timely feedback part can be tricky. Luckily, there are some tech tools on the scene to help incorporate peer feedback and AI feedback, often in a gamified way. These three options are freemium products, they offer many core features for free and some paid upgrade options.

• WeWillWrite
• Short Answer
• Class Companion

Bonus: Class Companion has M-STEP and AP test practice that may be helpful this time of year.

Reach out to a TIS for more information on how to get these up and running.

Are you looking for a dynamic tool to empower your students’ creative expression? Adobe Express (formerly Adobe Spark) is available within our district, offering a powerful platform for visual storytelling and project-based learning.

While you might be familiar with similar design tools like Canva, Adobe Express stands out with its simple and intuitive video creation capabilities. Students can easily craft engaging video projects, incorporating multimedia elements and fostering digital literacy skills using the robust stock library. Beyond video, the integrated AI image generator opens up exciting new avenues for visual exploration. Students can use text prompts to generate unique images, sparking imagination and adding a distinctive touch to their work. The AI image generator is safe to use with students in all grades.

Adobe Express offers more than just design templates. It’s a platform that allows students to amplify their voices and showcase their unique perspectives. From presentations and infographics to digital storytelling and social media campaigns, this tool empowers students to communicate effectively and creatively. Integrate Adobe Express into your curriculum to:

• Boost student engagement: Transform learning into interactive and visually compelling experiences.
• Develop essential skills: Foster digital literacy, communication, and critical thinking.
• Encourage creative expression: Provide a platform for students to share their ideas and perspectives.

Explore the possibilities of Adobe Express and witness the incredible work your students can create.

Students can access Adobe Express through Clever or it can be found and accessed through the waffle.

Reach out to a Technology Integration Specialist (submit a tech ticket) if you’d like assistance using this platform with students.

As we continue to explore ways to support student learning and address concerns about AI use in assignments, I wanted to bring a key point to your attention regarding Google Doc version history and tools used to track it that specifically call out large copy/pastes (Revision History, Brisk Teaching).

If you’re using version history to examine student contributions and potentially identify instances of AI-generated text (copy/pasting), please be aware that students who use voice typing will often appear to have made numerous copy-paste actions. This is because voice typing software often inserts text in chunks, which can be misinterpreted by the version history tool. It will generally show up as 100+ large copy/pastes (depending on the length of the writing).

It’s crucial to remember that there are many legitimate reasons why a student might use voice typing:

• Accessibility needs: Students with physical limitations may rely on voice typing to complete written assignments.
• Learning differences: Students with dyslexia or other learning differences may find voice typing a more effective way to express their ideas.
• Personal preference: Some students simply find voice typing to be a faster and more comfortable way to write.

Therefore, banning voice typing is not a practical or equitable solution. Instead, we should focus on assessing student understanding and authorship in meaningful ways. Let’s work together to find solutions that support all learners while maintaining academic integrity. Please don’t hesitate to reach out if you have any questions or ideas. Keep your eye out for a new blog series coming soon: Teaching in the Age of AI.

This blog post introduces a practical guide designed to help educators begin to effectively and responsibly integrate AI into their classrooms. While the guide was initially created by secondary librarians and technology integration specialists, its principles and tools are adaptable for elementary classrooms as well.

Key Features of the AI Guide

This guide provides educators with practical advice and resources to effectively implement AI while addressing ethical considerations:

• Student-Centric AI Usage Scales: These scales offer clear guidelines for students to understand when and how to appropriately use AI tools. The scales differentiate between “AI Free,” “AI Assisted,” and “AI Enhanced” activities, providing a framework for ethical AI integration in assignments. Printable posters of the scales can be displayed in classrooms as a visual reminder for students.
• AI Citation & Disclosure Handout: This resource clarifies when to cite AI-generated content and when to disclose its usage. The handout emphasizes transparency in academic work, outlining the importance of citing new content generated by AI and disclosing AI usage for tasks like organizing thoughts or editing.
• AI Prompting and Evaluation Techniques: The guide introduces two acronyms, PREP and HUMAN, to provide a structured approach to using AI. Ideally, these acronyms could be consistently used across the district.
  • PREP guides prompt creation, emphasizing the importance of a clear role for the AI, a precise prompt, specific parameters for the response, and explicit instructions.
  • HUMAN serves as a checklist to ensure ethical and effective AI use. It encourages users to pause and consider the appropriateness of using AI, examine potential biases, personalize the output, verify information, and determine next steps, including disclosure and citation requirements.
• Teacher-Friendly Implementation Tips: The guide offers practical suggestions for incorporating AI into the classroom. It clearly outlines the district-approved apps for teacher use and suggests tools that may be appropriate for student use. It emphasizes a progression of I do, we do, you do for classroom integration.
• Best Practices for Responsible AI Use: The guide highlights essential guidelines for ethical AI usage and data privacy considerations, drawing on recommendations from Common Sense Media. These practices include avoiding personal information input, emphasizing AI’s role as a thought partner rather than a source of facts, understanding the trade-offs of AI usage, verifying information, and using reputable sources in prompts.

The AI guide offers a wealth of resources, including printable posters, customizable rubrics, and suggested AI tools for both teachers and students.

NotebookLM is an innovative tool that can greatly enhance teaching and learning in K-12 classrooms. This powerful AI-driven platform allows teachers to upload a variety of source materials, including Google Docs, Slides, PDFs, text files, and web pages. Once uploaded, NotebookLM generates a comprehensive guide with summaries, key topics, and thought-provoking questions to help students engage with the material.  By leveraging NotebookLM’s ability to synthesize information and provide insightful guidance, K-12 teachers can create a more engaging and effective learning environment for their students.

Not only that, but it can generate a deep dive conversation (sounds like a podcast conversation) to share with students. Take a look at the screenshot below that shows some of items Notebook LM can create.

Be aware, due to terms of service students cannot interact with these notebooks. However, you can take the resources it creates and copy them to a Google doc. Audio overviews can be downloaded and shared with students.

Want to learn more?

• The example notebooks are a great place to start. NotebookLM (google.com)
• Check out Matt Miller’s blog for 10 ideas of how educators can use this tool. Meet Google NotebookLM: 10 things to know for educators – Ditch That Textbook
• Wondering about the quality of the Audio Summary? A P-CCS teacher took an article about AI in Writing and placed in Notebook LM. The tool created this brief summary, that’s extremely engaging.

Submit a tech ticket to get in touch with a Technology Integration Specialist if you have additional questions.