Education

9 AI Ethics Scenarios (and What School Librarians Would Do)

Published

9 hours ago

July 7, 2025

A common refrain about artificial intelligence in education is that it’s a research tool, and as such, some school librarians are acquiring firsthand experience with its uses and controversies.

Leading a presentation last week at the ISTELive 25 + ASCD annual conference in San Antonio, a trio of librarians parsed appropriate and inappropriate uses of AI in a series of hypothetical scenarios. They broadly recommended that schools have, and clearly articulate, official policies governing AI use and be cautious about inputting copyrighted or private information.

Amanda Hunt, a librarian at Oak Run Middle School in Texas, said their presentation would focus on scenarios because librarians are experiencing so many.

“The reason we did it this way is because these scenarios are coming up,” she said. “Every day I’m hearing some other type of question in regards to AI and how we’re using it in the classroom or in the library.”

Scenario 1: A class encourages students to use generative AI for brainstorming, outlining and summarizing articles.
Elissa Malespina, a teacher librarian at Science Park High School in New Jersey, said she felt this was a valid use, as she has found AI to be helpful for high schoolers who are prone to get overwhelmed by research projects.

Ashley Cooksey, an assistant professor and school library program director at Arkansas Tech University, disagreed slightly: While she appreciates AI’s ability to outline and brainstorm, she said, she would discourage her students from using it to synthesize summaries.

“Point one on that is that you’re not using your synthesis and digging deep and reading the article for yourself to pull out the information pertinent to you,” she said. “Point No. 2 — I publish, I write. If you’re in higher ed, you do that. I don’t want someone to put my work into a piece of generative AI and an [LLM] that is then going to use work I worked very, very hard on to train its language learning model.”
Scenario 2: A school district buys an AI tool that generates student book reviews for a library website, which saves time and promotes titles but misses key themes or introduces unintended bias.
All three speakers said this use of AI could certainly be helpful to librarians, but if the reviews are labeled in a way that makes it sound like they were written by students when they weren’t, that wouldn’t be ethical.
Scenario 3: An administrator asks a librarian to use AI to generate new curriculum materials and library signage. Do the outputs violate copyright or proper attribution rules?
Hunt said the answer depends on local and district regulations, but she recommended using Adobe Express because it doesn’t pull from the Internet.
Scenario 4: An ed-tech vendor pitches a school library on an AI tool that analyzes circulation data and automatically recommends titles to purchase. It learns from the school’s preferences but often excludes lesser-known topics or authors of certain backgrounds.
Hunt, Malespina and Cooksey agreed that this would be problematic, especially because entering circulation data could include personally identifiable information, which should never be entered into an AI.
Scenario 5: At a school that doesn’t have a clear AI policy, a student uses AI to summarize a research article and gets accused of plagiarism. Who is responsible, and what is the librarian’s role?
The speakers as well as polled audience members tended to agree the school district would be responsible in this scenario. Without a policy in place, the school will have a harder time establishing whether a student’s behavior constitutes plagiarism.

Cooksey emphasized the need for ongoing professional development, and Hunt said any districts that don’t have an official AI policy need steady pressure until they draft one.

“I am the squeaky wheel right now in my district, and I’m going to continue to be annoying about it, but I feel like we need to have something in place,” Hunt said.
Scenario 6: Attempting to cause trouble, a student creates a deepfake of a teacher acting inappropriately. Administrators struggle to respond, they have no specific policy in place, and trust is shaken.
Again, the speakers said this is one more example to illustrate the importance of AI policies as well as AI literacy.

“We’re getting to this point where we need to be questioning so much of what we see, hear and read,” Hunt said.
Scenario 7: A pilot program uses AI to provide instant feedback on student essays, but English language learners consistently get lower scores, leading teachers to worry the AI system can’t recognize code-switching or cultural context.
In response to this situation, Hunt said it’s important to know whether the parent has given their permission to enter student essays into an AI, and the teacher or librarian should still be reading the essays themselves.

Malespina and Cooksey both cautioned against relying on AI plagiarism detection tools.

“None of these tools can do a good enough job, and they are biased toward [English language learners],” Malespina said.
Scenario 8: A school-approved AI system flags students who haven’t checked out any books recently, tracks their reading speed and completion patterns, and recommends interventions.
Malespina said she doesn’t want an AI tool tracking students in that much detail, and Cooksey pointed out that reading speed and completion patterns aren’t reliably indicative of anything that teachers need to know about students.
Scenario 9: An AI tool translates texts, reads books aloud and simplifies complex texts for students with individualized education programs, but it doesn’t always translate nuance or tone.
Hunt said she sees benefit in this kind of application for students who need extra support, but she said the loss of tone could be an issue, and it raises questions about infringing on audiobook copyright laws.

Cooksey expounded upon that.

“Additionally, copyright goes beyond the printed work. … That copyright owner also owns the presentation rights, the audio rights and anything like that,” she said. “So if they’re putting something into a generative AI tool that reads the PDF, that is technically a violation of copyright in that moment, because there are available tools for audio versions of books for this reason, and they’re widely available. Sora is great, and it’s free for educators. … But when you’re talking about taking something that belongs to someone else and generating a brand-new copied product of that, that’s not fair use.”

Andrew Westrope is managing editor of the Center for Digital Education. Before that, he was a staff writer for Government Technology, and previously was a reporter and editor at community newspapers. He has a bachelor’s degree in physiology from Michigan State University and lives in Northern California.

See More Stories by Andrew Westrope

Source link

Education

Cambridge Judge Business School Executive Education launches four-month Cambridge AI Leadership Programme — EdTech Innovation Hub

Published

2 hours ago

July 8, 2025

Rachel Lawler

Launched in collaboration with Emeritus, a provider of short courses, degree programmes, professional certificates, and senior executive programs, the Cambridge Judge Business School Executive Education course is now available for a September 2025 start.

The Cambridge AI Leadership Programme aims to help participants navigate the complexities of AI adoptions, identify scalable opportunities and build a strategic roadmap for successful implementation.

Using a blend of in-person and online learning, the course covers AI concepts, applications, and best practice to improve decision-making skills. It also covers digital transformation and ethical AI governance.

The program is aimed at senior leaders looking to lead their organizations through transformations and integrate AI technologies.

“AI is a transformative force reshaping business strategy, decision-making and leadership. Senior executives must not only understand AI but also use it to drive business goals, efficiency and new revenue opportunities,” explains Professor David Stillwell, Co-Academic Programme Director.

“The Cambridge AI Leadership Programme offers a strategic road map, equipping leaders with the skills and mindset to integrate AI into their organisations and lead in an AI-driven world.”

“The Cambridge AI Leadership Programme empowers decision-makers to harness AI in ways that align with their organisation’s goals and prepare for the future,” says Vesselin Popov, Co-Academic Programme Director.

“Through a comprehensive learning experience, participants gain strategic insights and practical knowledge to drive transformation, strengthen decision-making and navigate technological shifts with confidence.”

RTIH AI in Retail Awards

Our sister title, RTIH, organiser of the industry leading RTIH Innovation Awards, proudly brings you the first edition of the RTIH AI in Retail Awards, which is now open for entries.

As we witness a digital transformation revolution across all channels, AI tools are reshaping the omnichannel game, from personalising customer experiences to optimising inventory, uncovering insights into consumer behaviour, and enhancing the human element of retailers’ businesses.

With 2025 set to be the year when AI and especially gen AI shake off the ‘heavily hyped’ tag and become embedded in retail business processes, our newly launched awards celebrate global technology innovation in a fast moving omnichannel world and the resulting benefits for retailers, shoppers and employees.

Our 2025 winners will be those companies who not only recognise the potential of AI, but also make it usable in everyday work – resulting in more efficiency and innovation in all areas.

Winners will be announced at an evening event at The Barbican in Central London on Wednesday, 3rd September.

Source link

Education

Shanklea primary school stays shut after solar panel fire

Published

2 hours ago

July 8, 2025

The Editors

A primary school will remain closed until Thursday following a fire which started in solar panels on the roof.

Northumberland Fire and Rescue Service (NFRS) said the blaze began just before 14:00 BST at Shanklea Primary School in Cramlington on Saturday.

No-one was injured and Northumberland County Council said the damage was “not as significant as first thought”.

The local authority said the school would remain closed on Tuesday and Wednesday to allow remedial works and additional health and safety checks.

NFRS said five crews were sent to the scene where the solar panels on the west side of the building were ablaze.

A council spokesperson said: “School staff have worked hard alongside structural and electrical engineers to understand the extent of the damage caused by the fire.”

They added parents and carers would be informed of the next steps.

Source link

Education

AI’s Role in Education: Transforming How We Learn

Published

3 hours ago

July 8, 2025

The Editors

Artificial intelligence (AI) is no longer just a buzzword—it’s a powerful force reshaping classrooms, lesson plans, and the entire learning experience. As we move further into the digital age, AI’s role in education is expanding rapidly, offering new opportunities and challenges for both students and teachers. So, what can we expect next from this technological revolution? Here’s how AI is transforming how we learn, and what the future holds for education.

How AI Is Already Changing Education

1. Personalized Learning

AI-powered platforms can analyze a student’s strengths, weaknesses, and learning pace to deliver customized lessons and resources. This means students get the support they need, when they need it—whether they’re struggling with math or excelling in science.

Examples:

Adaptive learning apps that adjust difficulty based on performance

AI tutors that provide instant feedback and explanations

Personalized study plans and practice quizzes

2. Automated Grading and Assessment

AI can quickly grade multiple-choice tests, essays, and even coding assignments, saving teachers hours of work. This allows educators to focus more on teaching and less on paperwork.

Benefits:

Faster feedback for students

More consistent and objective grading

Early identification of learning gaps

3. Smart Content Creation

AI tools can generate practice questions, summaries, and even interactive simulations. Teachers can use these resources to supplement lessons and keep students engaged.

Examples:

AI-generated flashcards and quizzes

Virtual labs and simulations for science classes

Automated reading comprehension exercises

4. Language Translation and Accessibility

AI-powered translation and speech-to-text tools break down language barriers, making education more accessible to students from diverse backgrounds and those with disabilities.

Benefits:

Real-time translation for multilingual classrooms

Closed captioning for videos

Text-to-speech for visually impaired students

What’s Next for Students and Teachers?

1. More Immersive and Interactive Learning

AI will power virtual and augmented reality experiences, allowing students to explore historical sites, conduct science experiments, or practice languages in simulated environments—all from their classroom or home.

2. Lifelong and Self-Directed Learning

With AI-driven platforms, learning doesn’t stop at graduation. Students and professionals can access personalized courses, track their progress, and upskill at their own pace, making education a lifelong journey.

3. Smarter Classrooms and Administration

AI will help schools optimize schedules, manage resources, and even predict student needs. Smart sensors and analytics can monitor classroom engagement and suggest improvements.

4. Ethical and Privacy Considerations

As AI becomes more integrated, schools must address concerns about data privacy, algorithmic bias, and the ethical use of technology. Expect new policies and guidelines to protect students and teachers.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Will AI replace teachers?

A: No. AI is a tool to support, not replace, educators. Teachers provide the human connection, mentorship, and critical thinking skills that technology cannot replicate.

Q: How can students benefit most from AI in education?

A: By using AI tools for personalized learning, seeking instant feedback, and exploring new subjects at their own pace, students can take greater control of their education.

Q: What skills will be most important in an AI-powered classroom?

A: Critical thinking, creativity, digital literacy, and adaptability will be essential. Students should learn how to use AI responsibly and understand its limitations.

Q: Are there risks to using AI in education?

A: Yes. Potential risks include data privacy concerns, over-reliance on technology, and unequal access. Schools and policymakers must work to ensure AI is used ethically and equitably.

Tips for Students and Teachers

Embrace AI as a learning partner: Use AI tools to supplement, not replace, traditional study methods.

Stay curious and adaptable: Technology will keep evolving—be open to new ways of learning and teaching.

Prioritize digital literacy: Learn how AI works, its benefits, and its limitations.

Advocate for privacy and ethics: Ask questions about how your data is used and push for transparent, fair AI systems.

Conclusion

AI is transforming education in ways we could only imagine a decade ago. From personalized learning to smart classrooms, the future promises more engaging, efficient, and accessible education for all. By embracing AI thoughtfully and ethically, students and teachers can unlock new possibilities and prepare for a world where learning never stops.

Source link