Read ai summary from the vaesp lunch and learn
Lunch and Learn; Artificial Intelligence and the School Leader
Thu, Jan 9, 2025
Summary from VAESP Lunch and Learn
Krista Arnold opened the session by welcoming participants to VAESP’s January Lunch and Learn and introduced Jethro Jones, who had previously conducted a training in October 2023. She provided information about the upcoming summer conference scheduled for June 22nd to 24th, urging attendees to register early due to limited hotel availability. Jethro expressed his enthusiasm for returning and prompted attendees to share their motivations for attending the session focused on AI, highlighting the rapid advancements in AI technology and the challenges these developments pose for many.
Jethro elaborated on his professional focus, which includes coaching and clarifying through positive intelligence in a mastermind setting for principals. He acknowledged the isolation that many principals experience and proposed the big impact mixer as a means to foster motivation and collaboration. He discussed his books, “School X” and “How to Be a Transformative Principal,” and mentioned his podcast, “Transformative Principle,” which features content related to AI. Jethro indicated that participants would receive an email with links to additional resources, including an AI series.
Addressing the common feeling of overwhelm among school leaders, Jethro advocated for using AI to simplify complex problems. He presented a QR code linking to a form for participants to share their views on effective leadership and teaching, showcasing AI’s ability to generate tailored responses. Participants were informed they would receive immediate AI-generated feedback and follow-up resources. Jethro cautioned that while AI can be beneficial, it may also produce unexpected content, emphasizing the importance of exploring AI tools thoughtfully in educational contexts.
Jethro discussed the mechanics of AI, likening it to assembling a puzzle based on prior training data. He noted AI’s strengths in formulaic tasks but its limitations in areas requiring deep understanding, such as mathematics. Citing Ethan Mollick, he stressed that wisdom in using AI extends beyond technical knowledge.
Jethro encouraged educators to leverage their expertise to identify AI’s errors and warned against using AI to bypass essential learning processes. He concluded by emphasizing the potential of AI to enhance learning rather than circumvent it, advocating for innovative thinking to address school challenges.
Chapters & Topics:
VAESP January Lunch and Learn with Jethro Jones Krista Arnold opened the session by welcoming attendees to VAESP’s January Lunch and Learn and introduced Jethro Jones, who had previously led a training in October 2023. She highlighted the upcoming summer conference from June 22nd to 24th and emphasized the importance of early registration. Jethro then engaged the audience by asking why they signed up for the session on AI.
- Upcoming summer conference details
Introduction to Coaching and Resources by Jethro Jones Jethro Jones outlines his work in coaching, creating, and clarifying, highlighting the benefits of positive intelligence for principals facing challenges. He also mentions the big impact mixer, which gathers individuals to discuss motivation and impact. Jones promotes his books, “School X” and “How to Be a Transformative Principal,” which focus on redesigning schools and leadership. He also shares information about his podcast, “Transformative Principle,” which includes episodes on AI.
Exploring AI Solutions in Education Jethro Jones highlights the tendency to become overwhelmed with daily tasks in school management and suggests that AI can provide effective solutions. He shares a QR code that directs participants to a form with two questions about leadership and teaching qualities, which utilizes AI to generate responses. Jones also warns that the AI-generated content may sometimes be unexpected or inappropriate.
Understanding AI: Its Capabilities and Limitations Jethro Jones explains that AI operates by predicting the next best piece in a sequence, similar to putting together a puzzle. He highlights that AI is effective for structured tasks but not for deep learning or complex problem-solving, particularly in mathematics. Jones also references Ethan Mollick’s insights on the wisdom required to use AI effectively, noting that expertise allows users to identify AI’s mistakes.
- Personal stories illustrating AI’s impact
Problem Solving Through Empathy and AI Jethro Jones discussed the role of empathy in problem-solving within schools, urging attendees to think about issues from the perspective of those impacted. He illustrated this with the example of chronic absenteeism, explaining how initial assumptions about the problem were incorrect. By redefining the issue, he was able to identify apathy as a key factor and suggested using AI for generating innovative solutions.
Exploring AI Tools for Educational Data and Communication Jethro Jones outlined three key applications of AI in education: data analysis, communication enhancement, and voice elevation. He highlighted the School AI tool, which enables educators to interrogate student handbooks while maintaining privacy standards. Jethro noted that this tool is particularly beneficial for understanding student discipline policies without compromising student identities.
- AI applications in education
Brainstorming and Communication Strategies Using ChatGPT Jethro Jones introduced the concept of using ChatGPT as a brainstorming tool for school business officials, focusing on problem-solving within the Virginia Association of Elementary School Principals. He provided a live demonstration of drafting a letter to parents about school rankings, highlighting the need to consider community concerns and the context of the rankings. The discussion included addressing potential criticisms and ensuring clear communication.
Data Analysis and Community Concerns Jethro Jones highlighted the lack of specific proficiency data in a report, revealing that the reading proficiency rank is 197 and the math proficiency rank is 158, both exceeding expectations. He pointed out that the rankings are based on a total of 1,037 schools in Virginia, which may differ from other reported figures. Jethro invited Charlene to add any relevant data from her school that is not publicly accessible.
Community Involvement Strategies Jethro Jones proposed adding a section to outline ways for community members to get involved in Allentown’s initiatives. He asked Charlene for her suggestions on volunteer opportunities and highlighted the significance of providing specific actions for community members. An unknown speaker emphasized that volunteering should be prioritized.
Elevating Voice Through AI Assistance Jethro discussed the challenges his daughter Kathy faces in expressing her thoughts due to her Down syndrome. He illustrated how AI technology, like predictive text, has helped her communicate, sharing her Christmas letter as an example. The letter, enhanced by AI, conveyed her pride in graduating and her fundraising efforts for Shriners Hospital.
AI in Communication and Upcoming Events Jethro Jones highlighted the transformative role of AI in helping children communicate, sharing a personal story that underscored its significance. He invited attendees to participate in a book study on “School X,” with a follow-up group beginning January 20th. Krista Arnold praised Jethro’s resources and offered to share links for those who missed the session.
- Enhancing communication through AI
Action Items:
- Nicole will send the Read.AI meeting notes to Jethro after the session concludes.
- Krista Arnold will repeat the conference information for attendees who joined late.
- Jethro Jones will send an email to attendees with resources from the session, including a link to his website.
- Jethro Jones will provide a link to the TEDx talk in the chat for attendees to watch later.
- Jethro Jones will provide a link to the School AI tool for researching the student handbook.
- Krista Arnold will keep everyone updated on rescheduling the VDOE math meeting with the state superintendent.
- Krista Arnold will send out the link to Jethro’s website and resources after the meeting.
Key Questions:
- What is the timeline for the summer conference registration?
- What are the practical problems that can be solved using AI?
- What is the purpose of the AI tools discussed in the meeting?
Notepad:
- No notes