AIOhioEd
January 15, 2026 Issue #1
AI Literacy: Closing the gaps in districts & buildings; among teachers & students.
Challenges as we begin 2026-27:
- Inconsistent adoption - All districts (in Ohio) have AI policy, but not all of them put the planning, framework, and training in place before hand to guide the work related to the policy. The result is a patchwork of skills and initiatives. If you're in another state and just starting the process, please consider the necessary work to be completed before you create a policy.
- The "screen-time" debates have forced schools to evaluate the purpose of ed-tech. (See April & May articles on the "Tug of Wars".
- Teacher philosophies and attitudes are all over the map. I am confident there is common ground to be reached here. No one I know is advocating for AI evangelism. We can have the cheating conversation and find solutions. A well-thought out, healthy approach that serves our student needs in AI literacy can be an achievable goal.
- Student use of AI continues to rise sharply every month. They need guidance before bad habits and cognitive offloading take root. Their perceptions and attitudes are all over the map as well, and their voice needs to be a part of the conversations.
- Existing stressors: We're asking schools and educators to take on this massive responsibility at a time when plates are overflowing, pressure is high, funding is low, there is no time for training, and there is no clear answer key or detailed map.
. . . among others.
But I am hopeful, and the work is THAT important.
The word of the year for 2026-27 is "Pragmatic"
Re-frame:
- Whether the policy or the planning came first in your district, we can all grab the wheel wherever we are and move forward, filling in the puzzle pieces one at a time.
- We all have access to the most powerful, free AI tools that meet data privacy standards. (and we don't need ALL the AI tools!)
- Small steps and targeted lessons can make a big difference.
- The shift is forcing us to re-examine some things in education that probably deserved a second look anyway (grading, assessment, unmanaged screen time)
- Fundamental and human skills matter more than ever.
- It's an exciting time to be alive and in education. While we are all aware of the potential pitfalls of AI, there is also huge potential. Some of our kids right now could be the ones who shape those outcomes!
So - where are you at in this journey? And can you take one more step forward in August?
This isn't the first significant challenge we have faced in K-12, and it won't be the last.
But we can make a real difference!
I get excited about the potential of AI, and I'm really nervous about how AI can harm our students. Both things can be true.
This is a great place to start as we head back for 2026-27. Teachers can make a huge difference in advancing AI literacy for our kids by reading this article, being aware of the pitfalls of Google AI Overview, and working with students through some tricky scenarios to create real opportunities for learning and evaluation of output.
Review Finds Google AI Search 'Unacceptable' for Students
The nonprofit Common Sense Media recommends that students not use Google's AI search tools because they're occasionally inaccurate, unable to flag problematic behavior and don't hesitate to answer any homework questions.
A great AI Literacy 101 lesson: Teach students the difference between a traditional Google search, the rising popularity of the "AI Overview", and using an AI chatbot.
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In addition to the challenge of weaving AI literacy into lessons, we also have to be aware of unhealthy habits that some of our students are falling into.
Handling Student Personal Relationships With AI
My most popular and well-received presentation in 2025-26 was the "Unhealthy AI: When Chatbots Become Confidants". It has been updated for 2026-27 and the relevance just keeps building. Some estimates are in the 20 - 30% of our 13-18 year olds who are utilizing AI chat companions as a "friend", for mental health advice, or worse - a romantic outlet. Some adults are at risk as well as AI continues to accelerate. I am echoing what leaders in psychology and mental health are preaching: engage and educate our staff and parents, be aware, be curious and be ready to respond with support if any of our students are in need.
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And the risks don't end there. Some schools have had to deal with deepfakes and AI being used for harassment or worse. For admins and tech leaders, this article provides some necessary food for thought in order to be prepared.
Summer Prep To Protect Your School From AI-Enabled Explicit Content
The Difference Between Managing Students and Teaching Them
Nick Potkalitsky is an AI Literacy Consultant, Instructor and Researcher in Columbus. He can always be counted on for a thoughtful reflection on AI in education, and this piece is a great one as we begin a new school year.
"A student who puts their phone in a pouch at 8 a.m. and picks it up at 3 p.m. having learned nothing about why that seven-hour gap is critical for their engagement with school is being managed, not taught.'
"AI holds real promise for teachers. Saving time isn't part of it." - From Stephen Fitzpatrick
Fitzpatrick supports a claim I have been preaching in workshops for the past year:
"It's not about saving time!".
The false promise has been amplified by some vendors or AI evangelists as a hook to get the attention of a teacher who is indeed burning the candle at all ends, or the admin who can never catch up on their in-box. But experienced educators can quickly sniff out a sales pitch. So let's drop this pitch once and for all.
If we truly want to model best practices for our students, we have to embrace AI literacy at the highest levels, which means: exploring new ways of teaching and learning that weren't possible 2 years ago. This can't be another ed tech moment where the Smartboard just replaced the whiteboard as a fancier overhead projector.
Key points:
- If AI leads you to do something different and do it well, it’s a worthy goal, ideally one that leads to better teaching and learning. It’s not a shortcut.
- AI makes it efficient to do things that shouldn’t be done at all - churning out generic lesson plans no teacher has examined, producing feedback no student will read, and generating worksheets that exist because they’re easy to create rather than because they serve a clear learning goal. If that’s the primary way in which teachers are using AI, that’s the ...problem in a nutshell. Efficiency without judgment is worse than inefficiency.
- Used effectively, AI is really good at helping teachers improve their own work - based on their experience and their knowledge of their students.
- Time is the most important resource a teacher has. Be wary of anyone who tells you AI will give you more of it. What AI can do - for teachers willing to go deeper - is open up choices that didn't exist before. Those choices mean more decisions, and every one costs time and attention.
Full article:
The Slow AI Public Library
The best response to AI is not a better prompt. It is a library card.
AI is good at producing answers. It is poor at producing the kind of thinking that makes answers worth having.
The skills AI erodes (judgement, empathy, patience, close reading, ethical reasoning, the ability to sit with not knowing) are the same skills that good books build. Not AI books. Books about being human.
Answer three questions. We will prescribe you a book. Then go and find it at your local library, because libraries are the original open-access technology: free, public, slow, and worth protecting at all costs.
Dr. Sam Illingworth is doing a lot of great work related to AI literacy.
His mantra: "Knowing when to use AI, and when to leave it alone".
Check out his Substack and articles while you're at his site.
From ISTE + ASCD
Schools need to focus on AI life skills in teaching and learning.
This model came out last July, but is still a solid framework for schools to build upon. The six areas of "enhancing our human abilities with AI" as a: Learner, Problem Solver, Researcher, Connector, Synthesizer and Storyteller are well-thought out and supported. If teachers can find ways to connect these skills to lessons throughout the year (not every lesson!), students will be much better equipped for their future.
Ask AI what you're missing
1) AI is often too agreeable (sycophantic)
2) We all have blind spots, gaps and bias.
We bring that to the table when we interact with AI. And this is where there can be real opportunity to grow. Asking the AI:
- what you're missing?
- what you're not considering?
- what would someone with the opposite viewpoint argue?
Evaluation of AI output remains crucial, for us and our students. Iterate, iterate, iterate!
Every month, you'll find strategies, concrete examples and introductions to tools that can make an immediate impact on classroom instruction.
AI Starter Kit for Teachers - From Tech & Learning
If you still need some basics, or to brush up on some key terms and resources, this page is worth checking out. Don't feel pressure to visit all of the links!
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AI Basics for K–12 Teachers - From Common Sense Media
8 Classroom AI Policies Developed by Teachers - from Edutopia
Setting clear, shared expectations around student AI use is uncharted territory for many teachers. Educators across disciplines and grade levels share their current policies.
I'm sure many of you are in districts that have put out guidelines for policy. But if the work is still getting underway, this is a solid resource.
"US K-12 educators get free access to premium Claude features, like teaching skills and a connection to evidence-based curricula, aligned to state standards."
Educators Share Mixed Reactions to Claude for Teachers
Anthropic grabbed the headlines in mid-July. It has been met with mixed reactions. I'm a fan of Claude, but if you are looking to integrate it into your school environment, there are a few things to be aware of. Talk to your tech admin.
NotebookLM is now Gemini Notebook
"We’re renaming NotebookLM to Gemini Notebook. While it remains a standalone product focused on being your premier research tool, the new name reflects how it will evolve to do more across the Google ecosystem.Users will see the new name and updated logo roll out across different interfaces over the next several weeks."
Here’s how to make study notebooks in the Gemini app.
Redesigned Google Classroom homepage with tailored views based on user’s role
Google Classroom will introduce a redesigned homepage globally across all editions to help teachers, students, and administrators easily find relevant content, resources, and tools tailored to their specific roles. Many more integrated AI tools...
How a Cow ‘Moooved’ STEM and AI Learning Forward
Rebecca Colangelo, an elementary math and science enrichment coach, enrolled her Pittsburgh-area school in an “Adopt a Cow” program, and a basic AI literacy exercise was borne as a result.
The Power of Conversational Simulations
Rehearsal is a good learning tool.
Mike Kentz lays out a "Friction Bot" activity for his upper level students. A powerful example of where AI can serve as a valuable tool for students to work through processes and skills they desperately need to develop. And there is a link to take part in a virtual workshop on Aug. 19th. Highly recommended for secondary teachers (all subjects) looking to take their AI literacy lessons to a new level.
AI Friction Labs - AI that pushes students to think harder, not less.
Playlab Series: The AI Tools Kids Built Themselves
"In this series, we're introducing you to Fairfax County Public School students who took on a challenge to create AI-based innovative solutions to community challenges. This week we meet Pranav Kumaravel, who along with design partner Abhinav, wants to make sure students find scholarship and grant opportunities that align with their interests."
Handling Student Personal Relationships With AI
What to be aware of and do if your student is in a toxic or troubling relationship with an AI chatbot and how teaching AI literacy can help. Yes, this is the same article in the first section above! It's that important!
Copilot takes a step forward with "Study and Learn" mode.
"In some form, "tutoring" or "guided learning" tools will be a part of the future of education.
That said, I don’t think these will ever replace real-life tutors for a variety of reasons. For one thing, these platforms currently are not as effective as a skilled tutor, which is effective because you're meeting with another human and creating a connection that goes beyond simply improving learning.
Then again, tutoring can be expensive and students don't have 24/7 access to tutors on demand."
But Gemini's "Guided Learning" still ranks higher than other models when it comes to helping a user explore or review a concept.
Gemini’s Guided Learning Mode From Google AI: What Educators Need To Know
Gemini’s new learning mode is built on educational science, and that helps set it apart from some of the competition in our tests.
Meta wired a deepfake button into Instagram, then pulled it in three days
Meta continues to prove (along with Grok) why they have no place in education right now, and why awareness for educators is important - because conversations with students can make an impact on their usage!
A recap from an important session at ISTE26: the need to build critical thinking and verification habits so students can evaluate AI-generated content and recognize misinformation.
Critical Thinking in an AI-Driven Information Ecosystem
Step 1: Teach students that ChatGPT, TikTok or other social media cannot be used as a legitimate source in a classroom assignment
‘Teach Them Good Habits Now’
I echo what Amanda Bickerstaff at AIforEducation.io continues to stress regarding AI in elementary buildings:
" . . .keeping these tools out of the hands of students through second grade, and only with significant human oversight and AI literacy training for students in grades three through five."
The best thing we can do in the younger grades is continue to teach core skills like critical thinking, effective reading and writing, digital literacy and more - so our students are better equipped to effectively use AI tools when the time comes.
While this article does include some 1st grade scenarios, there are several interesting activities and sample lessons with guardrails provided - with and without AI.
Lessons on AI for Elementary Students: ‘Teach Them Good Habits Now’
Another great resource from AI for Education
A practical, research-informed guide to the appropriate use of AI detectors in education.
Download the resource to explore:
What the current evidence says about AI detectors
The limitations and risks of relying on detector scores
Practical steps to take when you suspect inappropriate AI use
Proactive strategies that strengthen assessment and AI literacy
And another resource worth checking out:
As August Approaches . .
Whether it's experimenting on the teacher-prep side, or creating meaningful AI integrated lessons, educators across the country have had to wrestle with the impact of artificial intelligence in and out of the classroom. Please share how you have approached this challenge!
Thanks for reading!
Please reach out with questions or ideas for future newsletters. Also, if you know of a teacher who is leading the way with AI integration, let me know so they can be featured in the "Teacher Spotlight"!
