Quick look
With the rapid evolution of artificial intelligence tools, teachers may find themselves learning AI technology at the same time (or even behind) their students. To address this challenge, Iowa State researcher Evrim Baran and her team have developed a new micro-credential course designed to help K-12 educators build critical AI literacy skills using real classroom examples.
AMES, Iowa - The conversation about generative artificial intelligence in schools is often centered on cheating - how to spot it, how to stop it and who's at fault.
But there's also a deeper and more urgent conversation underneath that one, said Evrim Baran, professor of educational technology and human-computer interaction, and the Helen LeBaron Hilton Chair in the college of health and human sciences at Iowa State University.
What does it mean to teach kids - really teach them - in a world where AI is rapidly evolving?
"Teachers are learning to navigate AI tools alongside their students," Baran said. "And teachers are asking, 'How should I talk with students about AI systems that I'm still learning about myself?'"
Baran said this concern is a common thread in her conversations with K-12 educators.
"Teachers are looking for guidance regarding AI that goes deeper than simple tutorials or product demonstrations," she said. "They want to build critical judgement skills - and not just proficiency - so they can better prepare their students for an AI-integrated future."
These needs are the foundation for a new Critical AI in Education Pathways micro-credential course developed by Baran and her team. The course is designed to help educators develop critical AI literacy skills and feel prepared to teach, design and lead in an AI-enabled world.
"I've spent my career doing research around how technology shapes teaching and learning, and what inspired me when I saw generative AI tools become widely available was that they had great potential to support learning in powerful ways - but also limitations," Baran said.
"The conversation is shifting right now from whether AI should be allowed in schools to how we should prepare students for a future AI-enabled world, including the critical role teachers play in helping students learn how these systems work and how to use them safely, ethically and effectively."
Building AI literacy among teachers
The new Critical AI in Education Pathways micro-credential course is offered fully online and is self-paced, allowing educators to start the course whenever they are ready and then move through the material on their own timeline.
The course is also "beginner friendly," Baran said, emphasizing that educators do not need a technical background to enroll.
"Our goal was to create a course that supports all K-12 educators who want to build critical AI literacy," said Baran, who also serves as the project director of the Critical AI in Education Pathways Initiative at Iowa State.
The course features five modules covering the foundations of artificial intelligence, the ethics of AI in education, pedagogical integration, implementation and human-centered AI in education. In total, the time required to complete all five modules is approximately 20-25 hours.
Baran said the course is available to educators everywhere and meets the requirement for one licensure renewal credit for Iowa teachers.
"Educators who successfully complete the course may request a renewal credit certificate issued by the School of Education at Iowa State," Baran said. "This credit will count toward the required credits teachers must earn to maintain their relevant educator license in Iowa."
Created for educators, with educators
More than 50% of U.S. teens say they have used chatbots such as ChatGPT, Microsoft Copilot and Character.ai for help with schoolwork, according to a recent report from the Pew Research Center, and 1 in 10 teens, ages 13-17, say they do all or most of their schoolwork with the help of chatbots.
These findings, Baran said, underscore the need for educators to find ways to improve AI literacy for their students - and themselves.
To develop the Critical AI in Education Pathways course, Baran's team collected real classroom examples from K-12 teachers to build scenario-based challenges and guided reflection throughout all five of the course modules.
"Because AI is becoming part of the everyday environment that students interact with - both inside and outside of school - it's important that critical AI literacy education for teachers is grounded in real examples and situations," Baran said.
What does this mean for elementary, middle and high school teachers?
"We've seen shared concerns about the limitations of AI among K-12 teachers at every level, including information accuracy and potential biases, cognitive offloading and possible over-reliance on these technologies among students," Baran said. "There are also well-being and value concerns such as students using these technologies for personal advice or mental health support."
That's why, Baran said, the course focuses on helping teachers engage with students in activities that use critical thinking skills around AI rather than replacing important reasoning and problem-solving skills with AI tools.
The Winterset (Iowa) Community School District, which serves approximately 1,550 students and employs more than 100 teachers, is among the K-12 schools Baran is working with through the Critical AI in Education Pathways Initiative at Iowa State.
"About a year ago, I came across an article about a partnership the University of Pennsylvania and Philadelphia school district had formed around professional development in AI literacy for teachers, and I thought it was a great idea that I wanted to borrow," said Chad Sussex, assistant principal for grades 7-12 in the Winterset Community School District.
Sussex, who also leads an AI task force for the district, reached out to Iowa State's School of Education to pitch the idea and was soon connected with Baran.
"It has been a privilege to work with such an innovative school district around AI," said Baran, who said she jumped at the chance to work with Winterset after talking with Sussex. "We've learned a lot from working with Winterset, including being able to spend time in classrooms, talk directly with teachers and observe fascinating examples of teachers using AI responsibly in their classrooms."
Sussex said the opportunity to collaborate with Iowa State has been impactful.
"I think this partnership has been a great way for us to learn from one another," Sussex said. "Our Winterset educators have visited the ISU campus to learn more about how generative AI tools are being developed and widely used, and ISU researchers have visited our classrooms to observe learning situations and receive real-time feedback.
"As AI continues to become an integral part of our lives - and our students' futures - there's tremendous value for all of us in sharing what we learn and understand with each other."
Taking the course
The Critical AI in Education Pathways micro-credential course is available now through the Iowa State University Extension and Outreach store.
To access the course and learn more, visit https://education.iastate.edu/learn-by-doing/micro-credentials.
