Schools Shift Focus: Teaching Students Responsible AI Use Over Detection in K-12 Classrooms

Experts discuss ways that students can use AI responsibly in school | Newswise

As artificial intelligence becomes increasingly commonplace in students' lives, concerns over academic integrity have grown. But Virginia Tech experts Amy Allen and Pamela Gilchrist say K-12 classrooms should focus less on detecting AI misuse and more on teaching students how to think critically, evaluate information, and use the tools responsibly. Moving beyond detection Allen, associate professor of history and social science in the School of Education, said teachers, parents, and students should approach AI with "technocuriosity," a phrase she developed with colleague David Hicks. "Technocuriosity encourages educators, parents, and students to approach AI with disciplined curiosity," Allen said. "It means exploring what these tools can do, understanding what they cannot do, recognizing their biases and limitations, and making thoughtful decisions about when they genuinely support learning." Responsible AI integration, she said, includes knowing "when to not use AI." "Rather than investing most of our energy trying to catch students, we should help them develop the judgment to use AI well," she said. "Schools have always helped students learn to navigate new technologies, from search engines to social media. AI belongs in that same conversation." Gilchrist, director of K-12 initiatives at Virginia Tech, said schools should still address misuse while teaching ways to use AI ethically. "AI is a foundational skill every student should master as a tool for learning, but one that needs clear boundaries," Gilchrist said. "Students already encounter AI through search engines, educational platforms, social media, and tools at home, so avoiding it entirely will not stop its use. The role of schools is to help students understand when AI is useful, when it is inappropriate, and how to use it without losing the ability to think independently." Designing assignments differently Allen said AI tools have created an opportunity to redesign curriculum and assignments that focus less on generic summaries of material, and more on explaining reasoning, justifying decisions with evidence, and evaluating AI-generated responses alongside other sources. "Students should first have opportunities to notice, wonder, struggle, and develop their own ideas before AI enters the conversation," Allen said. "That preserves curiosity while allowing AI to become a scaffold that extends thinking rather than replacing it." Gilchrist said teachers can ask students to provide drafts, discuss their process, or complete portions of assignments in class. "The goal is not simply to catch students - it is to help them understand ownership, honesty, and why their own effort still matters," Gilchrist said. AI as a learning tool Both experts said AI can be most effective when it supports learning rather than replaces it. "We often encourage teachers to think of AI as a conversation partner or mentor rather than an answer machine," Allen said. Gilchrist recommends a simple framework for responsible AI use: "Ask. Check. Create. Explain." The approach is incorporated into the Virginia Tech K-12 Innovation Lab's programming in Alexandria, where it is used during affiliate-led STEM sessions, she said. "Students ask AI for support, check whether the response is accurate, create their own work, and explain what they learned and how AI was used in programming sensors, robots and drones," Gilchrist said. As AI tools continue to evolve, both experts emphasize the importance of skills that extend beyond any single technology. "AI becomes valuable when it helps students understand difficult concepts, practice skills, organize ideas, and receive feedback," Gilchrist said. "It becomes a problem when it replaces reading, writing, problem solving, creativity, or genuine understanding. The measure that matters is whether a student walks away more capable and confident - not whether the tool was used at all." About Allen Amy Allen is an associate professor of history and social science in the elementary education program in the School of Education. Her forthcoming book, "Teaching History with Chatty Geeps," cowritten by David Hicks, will be available through Virginia Tech Publishing and Press as a free online educational resource. About Gilchrist Pamela Gilchrist is the director of K-12 Initiatives in the D.C. area and affiliate faculty of STEM education program in the School of Education. She has over 20 years of experience developing multidisciplinary partnerships and K-12 STEM programs in the U.S. and Africa. She also leads Virginia Tech's K-12 Innovation Lab in Alexandria.

What Parents Need to Know About AI in K-12 Classrooms

Students should use AI to support their learning, not replace critical thinking. Artificial intelligence is no longer a future consideration for schools - it's now becoming part of everyday learning. An executive order from April 2025, Advancing Artificial Intelligence Education for American Youth, aims to expand AI education in K-12 schools by supporting AI literacy, teacher training and partnerships that prepare students for an increasingly AI-driven workforce. The order also established a federal task force to coordinate AI education initiatives across the country. As schools begin integrating AI into classrooms, experts say the technology should support - not replace - the relationships that drive student learning. "Artificial intelligence has evolved into a permanent fixture in our communities and schools," Becky Pringle, president of the National Education Association, wrote in an email. "Using these new tools equitably, fairly and safely is essential for our nation's educators to guide and inspire their students." Pringle says the Department of Education's final supplemental priority on advancing AI gives preference in competitive grant programs to applicants focused on AI literacy and educator professional development. However, she says the policy lacks federal safeguards around student data privacy, evidence of effectiveness and protections against algorithmic bias. At the local level, implementation has varied. Michael Martin, principal of Plymouth High School in Ohio, says his district received grant funding to bring vendors in to train teachers on AI, but "the funding ran out" before every staff member completed the professional development. Even so, he believes schools have a responsibility to prepare students for an AI-driven future. "My job is to prepare our kids to be successful in the 21st century economy," Martin says. "AI is a big part of that economy." Rather than replacing teachers, experts say AI is primarily helping educators save time and personalize instruction. "Educators are using AI to reduce administrative burdens such as drafting materials, differentiating lessons and streamlining paperwork," Pringle says. "These shifts work best when educators lead them." Teachers are also changing how they assign and assess student work. Traditional take-home essays are becoming less common because AI can easily generate written responses. Instead, many schools are moving toward process-based learning, where students demonstrate how they arrived at an answer rather than simply submitting a final product. "I think the idea of going home and writing a two-page summary is dead," Martin says. Instead, students may be asked to show how they used AI during a project, defend their work through presentations, or participate in classroom discussions and debates that require critical thinking, experts say. "If they did use AI, great," Martin said. "Show me how you used it." Experts say AI programs offer significant opportunities but also raise important concerns for families. Some potential benefits include: Pringle emphasizes that schools should adopt AI tools only when there is evidence they work for the intended audience. The risks that come with youth interacting with AI, which parents should be aware of, include students' data privacy, potential algorithmic bias, and misinformation or inaccurate AI responses. Academic dishonesty and increased screen time also pose significant challenges. The Center for Democracy and Technology reports 72% of parents worry that regular AI use weakens core skills like writing and critical thinking - a concern Pringle shares. "With more than half of teens already using AI for schoolwork, the question is not whether AI is in our classrooms but whether we have the right guardrails and supports in place so that students can build more critical thinking skills," she says. "The bottom line is that no technology can replace the human connection and judgment that educators bring." Martin shares a similar concern. "If students are overusing it...they're never going to develop their own unique voice," he says. "That scares me." Martin says parents don't need to become AI experts, but they should understand how the technology is being used in their child's education. Pringle recommends asking their schools questions, such as: Martin encourages parents to ask additional questions, including whether schools are using state-approved AI platforms and how teachers are ensuring students are learning and not simply relying on AI to complete assignments. In Ohio, for instance, schools are required by law to have a written AI policy that they share publicly with families. Martin says parents should ask about it regardless of where they live. Experts say conversations at home are just as important as policies at school. "Parents are important partners in talking with their kids about how AI works," Pringle says, adding that families should reinforce that AI is a tool - not a replacement for independent thinking. She also encourages parents to watch for signs that children are becoming overly dependent on AI, such as: Parents should become familiar with AI instead of avoiding it, Martin says. "You can't stick your head in the sand," he says. "You have to be aware that these tools exist so you can talk to your children about it." He says many schools, including his own, are beginning to offer AI information sessions for families.