A New Teacher’s Guide to Using AI Without Undermining Learning

The College Board recently shared the following statistics on AI use in schools:

• • • 84% of high school students regularly use Generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI) tools, such as ChatGPT.  
    • 60% of parents say it’s better if their students use AI for schoolwork 
    • 85% of administrators believe that students should learn about AI tools in school.

AI isn’t going away, and the burden of daily, effective implementation will fall on teachers. Which begs the following questions?

How will teachers creatively leverage the technology – AI as a mentor, editor, or collaborator? At the same time, how will teachers protect the integrity of the educational experience?

So…what’s your plan for using AI in your classroom?

The student and their robot partner get to work.

Our goal today is to provide you with a “new teacher’s guide to using AI” – examples of how AI can support, rather than undermine, the important work you’re doing with students every day in class.

Here’s one way to think about AI use in your classroom: Picture a classroom in which every student is sitting next to a super-intelligent robot at all times – because, essentially, they do now.  

Call it the “C-3PO Test” from Star Wars…and yes, we’re that old.  If you’re more into Star Wars: The Mandalorian, picture BB-8 or even Grogu sitting next to each student instead.

Now, imagine you hand out an assignment. The student and the robot get to work.

Would you be OK if…?

• • • The student slid the assignment over to the robot and told it to get to work. 

• • • The student tried to answer some of the questions and asked the robot for help on others.

• • • The student did the assignment on their own and then asked the robot to check their work.

This example is an oversimplification, of course.  But if the answer feels like, “Yes, that could help,” you’re likely in reasonable AI-use territory. 

If the answer is, “Absolutely not, it defeats the purpose,” that tells you something, too.

Rather than pretending AI isn’t being used (because it is), we find it more helpful to think about how and when it can be used thoughtfully without replacing student thinking.

Here’s a simple scale we use, adapted from Woodward Academy, to help make those decisions clearer:

Level 1: No AI Use

AI is not allowed because the goal is to assess independent understanding.

Examples: tests, in-class writing, timed essays, quizzes, and handwritten problem-solving.

Level 2: Mentor or Coach

AI helps students think about their work, not do it for them.

Examples: brainstorming essay topics, generating discussion questions, asking for clarification on a concept, outlining ideas.

Note: If your school has invested in an AI system (like Fint), this level is a great use of that technology.

Level 3: Checker

AI is used to review or verify work after the student has completed it.

Examples: proofreading grammar, checking calculations, reviewing clarity, and identifying areas that may need revision.

Level 4: Collaborator

AI offers feedback or suggestions, but the student remains responsible for decisions and final output.

Examples: feedback on drafts, suggestions for strengthening arguments, refining project ideas, and revising presentations.

A final thought:

You don’t have to completely solve the “AI issue” right now, but ignoring it isn’t the answer either.

The most productive approach is clarity.  Try to be explicit about which level of AI use is appropriate for each assignment. When expectations are clear, students are better able to make thoughtful choices, and teachers can focus on learning rather than policing.