Everyday AI: Teacher Perspectives on AI Education & Professional Development for Advancing inclusive AI Literacy

Everyday AI is an innovative model for teacher professional development to advance middle and high school teachers’ AI literacy and pedagogical content knowledge in teaching AI in their inclusive classrooms. Everyday AI’s innovation is its three waves of PD: 1) an AI Book Club combined with 2) the authentic learning experience of a summer Practicum and 3) a community practice sustained throughout the academic year through monthly webinars.

Participating in Everyday AI helps teachers learn to implement the Developing AI Literacy (DAILy) 2.0 Curriculum (link) in their diverse classrooms, grow comfortable teaching foundational AI topics, and develop a deep understanding of AI concepts including AI ethics and its societal impacts. As teachers reflect on how they would modify the materials to make them more accessible, relevant, inclusive, and equitable for their diverse students, they gain ownership over the material. As teachers complete the program, they return to serve as Facilitators in subsequent years to grow new cohorts of knowledgeable AI teachers.

In this episode, we dive deep into the experiences of two teachers who've been on the front lines of integrating artificial intelligence into their classrooms. We hear from Wanda and Racquel about their journey through the Everyday AI teacher professional development program. They will share their insights on everything from the AI Book Club and summer practicum to the rewards of mentoring other teachers and ultimately facilitating the program themselves!  Finally, we'll get a glimpse into their current classroom practices, discovering how they implement the DAILy 2.0 curriculum, address student misconceptions, and create impactful learning experiences. Tune in as we uncover the practical applications and transformative potential of AI in education!

About our guests 

Wanda Jones, Computer Science Teacher

Wanda Jones is a Computer Science educator with over twenty-four years of secondary and undergraduate teaching experience that incorporates her unique background of computer science, education technology, and computer information system management. Ms. Jones was named one of the Amazon Future Engineer Teacher of the year 2022 - 2023 and she is currently a National Winner of the 2024 CS Teaching Excellence Award by the Computer Science Teacher Association. Ms. Jones has worked with the Everyday AI project as a piloting teacher as well as a facilitator.

Racquel Herring, Robotics & Digital Literacy Teacher

Racquel Herring is a Robotics and Digital Literacy educator with over twenty-five years of experience teaching first graders to adults. She has served as a mentor to new and veteran educators through the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards and Broward County’s New Teacher Academy. Racquel pursues educational experiences that open the world of science and technology to her students. She is one of the initial implementers of the Everyday AI Project.

Kate Moore, Research Scientist at the MIT STEP Lab

Kate Moore is a research scientist who studies how to teach middle and high school students about systems and ethics of artificial intelligence and machine learning. She earned her doctoral degree at Teachers College, Columbia University, where she studied cooperative learning and collaborative problem solving, and worked part-time as a professional development coach for STEM teachers in New York City public schools with the Center for the Professional Education of Teachers (CPET). Before entering the world of research and design, Kate served as a middle school science and special education teacher for 10 years. She has worked in public, independent, and charter schools in New York City NY, Newark NJ, and Pittsburgh PA.