AI and Computer Science: Opportunity and Creativity

Opening Speaker
Hadi Partovi
CEO, Code.org

AI Amplifies Leaders, Teams, and Magnet Schools

Leading a magnet school demands a multifaceted approach, balancing academic excellence, operational efficiency, technology acumen, educator effectiveness, and community engagement. This session explores the transformative potential of Generative AI (GenAI) for magnet school leaders and teams. We’ll delve into practical applications, showcasing how GenAI can personalize learning, automate administrative tasks, and analyze data across academics, operations, and resource allocation. This empowers educators to provide targeted instruction, and fosters informed decision-making, ultimately driving student success and operational excellence. Join us to discover a clear and actionable framework for leveraging GenAI, with practical examples and resources tailored to address your unique challenges in academics, operations, community engagement, and retaining thriving educator teams. Let’s explore how GenAI can become a strategic tool for optimizing the work of your magnet school, propelling it toward a future of dynamic learning, robust efficiency, and a strong, engaged, community.

AI Literacy for Educators: Understanding and Implementing AI in the Classroom

This workshop aims to equip educators with the knowledge and skills needed to understand and effectively implement AI in their classrooms. Participants will learn about the basics of AI, its applications in education, and the potential challenges and opportunities it presents. Through hands-on activities and interactive discussions, attendees will develop a foundational understanding of AI concepts and practical strategies for integrating AI tools into their teaching practices. The session will also address common misconceptions about AI and provide resources for further learning.

Bias, Misinformation, and Polarization: How Can My Students Find Anything on the Internet?

Quickly finding reliable information on the internet is becoming a near-impossible task for educators and students. Internet search is degenerating into a race to the bottom. Generative AI and misinformation are flourishing. Americans struggle to agree on basic facts. The majority of premium news is moving behind paywalls. Gen Z scrolls TikTok to get their news.

This presentation walks through each of these issues, arming educators with powerful, up-to-date knowledge and insights on the rapidly changing technologies and societal dynamics behind these trends.

We discuss the evolution of the internet, AI technologies, and the rapidly falling costs to create and publish content on the internet. With audience participation, we conduct a quick quiz that challenges the audience’s perception of what “reliable” websites look like. We also review the ratings methodology developed by NewsGuard that evaluates the journalistic integrity of news and information sites.

Next, we explore the rise of gen-AI and its nefarious possibilities using real examples of recent misinformation social media narratives. We discuss AI image generation, deepfakes, and viral growth patterns used to promote narratives.

Then we review the latest survey data regarding politics, polarization, news paywalls, and digital ad revenues and how these all influence the environment in which students consume information.

Finally, we show comparative search results across numerous popular search engines and chatbots to highlight how they fall short as reliable research and learning tools for students. We wrap up with recommendations.

ChatGPT and Beyond – Exploring the World of AI Tools

As AI technology continues to evolve at a rapid pace, understanding and utilizing tools like Gemini (Bard), Claude, and ChatGPT can significantly enhance educational practices. This session is designed for educators and administrators interested in the potential of AI to transform teaching, learning, and administrative tasks. Participants will gain a foundational understanding of these cutting-edge AI models and explore practical applications in educational settings. This workshop style session will focus on highlighting benefits and differences that exist between the platforms.  Participants are invited to bring a device and work collaboratively as we explore AI tools together.

Creating Opportunity for All Through Mobility

Creative Synergy: Unleashing ChatGPT and Canva for Social Media Brilliance

Embark on a transformative journey in “Creative Synergy” where ChatGPT and Canva converge to redefine your social media strategy. This engaging session covers key aspects to elevate your online presence. After exploring the importance of a compelling social media presence, we’ll work in Canva to develop stunning templates for social media posts, emphasizing your brand and voice. You’ll be introduced to ChatGPT and how you can use this AI tool to write creative taglines and relevant hashtags. You will merge the generated taglines and bulk create social media posts in a few easy steps. We’ll guide you through linking your Canva to your social media accounts for automated posts, which will boost your social media engagement. Join us in “Creative Synergy” and discover how the fusion of technology and design can redefine your social media brilliance. To get the most out of this presentation, please bring a charged laptop and a phone or device with the ability to post to the school’s Instagram account. If you don’t already have an account, please sign up for a free educator’s account with Canva.

Embrace or Sabotage AI: How to Use Tech to Keep Kids Safe

This session will be an engaging and deep conversation about why embracing technology tools with AI and machine learning can keep kids safe in your schools. Come to hear real stories of how Tracy saved lives using technology, and why she did not embrace a “new tech tool” at first.

Creating change, processes, and systems to integrate a 24/7 technology that scans and alerts educational leaders of student concerns. A tool that eliminates bias and reduces staff mindsets about students while supporting professionals in their roles to support students emotionally, socially, mentally, and academically.

Is the Sky The Limit? – Exploring the Current Boundaries of AI

Discussing how current definitions of AI which mention only “human” intelligence limit newcomers’ ideas of the capabilities and purpose of AI which is: minimally biased, minimally inaccurate, and consistent data-driven decisions. Exploring how in the field of Human-Centered AI, perceived authenticity and cultural infusion are limited by our current understanding in Human Psychology. Closing by discussing the importance and study of academic fields such as Natural Language Processing, Animal Intelligence & Communication, and Neuropsychology/Neurolinguistics.

The session would primarily be a guided presentation: starting with the current definitions of AI, moving into the structure of a neuron and its modeling in Machine Learning, then into exploring the various problems and limits which are encountered in Human Psychology. The presentation would then examine examples of Generative AI which intend to mimic human behavior or creativity and then relate them to cultural infusion and the aforementioned psychological/definition limits. The rest of the presentation would discuss the above academic fields and how they enhance and advance AI.

Making Magnet Schools Buzz with AI

This workshop will explore how AI-driven tools will revolutionize magnet school communication and create compelling, targeted content to resonate with students, parents, staff, and the wider community. Learn practical strategies for using AI to streamline your communication process. with tools like Axios HQ, Smart Brevity, and Jasper to help craft clear, engaging messages that align with your mission and keep your readers invested. Learn how to harness the power of AI in your communications strategy and join us to discover how these cutting-edge tools save you time, elevate your message, and connect your school with the audience that matters the most, whether you’re a teacher, administrator, or district leader.

*This description was crafted by AI – no humans were harmed or overworked in the process!

Panel: How Education Leaders are Thinking about AI

Dr. Evonne Alvarez, Superintendent, Lynn Public Schools (Moderator)
Jeff Konishi, Chief Technology Officer, Aurora Public Schools
Michael Gaal, Superintendent, Colorado Springs School District 11

Using AI to Amplify Magnet Themes in Core Instruction

This exciting session is designed to empower educators with the latest tools and strategies that support seamlessly embedding magnet themes into both core content areas and electives using cutting-edge AI tools.

We’ll dive into hands-on activities with multiple AI tools, exchange resources, and uncover practical techniques to infuse AI-driven thematic content into teaching and learning. We’ll explore how AI serves as a powerful catalyst for thematic integration across diverse subjects, enhancing student engagement, comprehension, and achievement.

We’ll showcase successful implementations of AI-driven thematic integration in educational settings. Walk away with a personalized toolkit of AI resources and actionable insights, ready to unleash the full potential of AI in your classroom. Say goodbye to one-size-fits-all instruction and hello to a world of limitless possibilities, where every lesson is infused with the magic of magnet themes and the power of AI innovation.