“You only have a choice if you are aware that you have one.” – Erik Winerö

This week, Taylor identified an important concept in the world of AI, Digital Citizenship and Media Literacy — the potential change to humans learning patterns and processes. As teachers, this change might upend what we think we know about education and we NEED to be paying attention.

The talk from Erik Winerö provided many valuable insights about AI’s potential to create illusions of learning. I admit that the thought of a more efficient “me” is an enticing idea, and I have been tempted to use AI more and more as I see what it is capable of. However, we also need to think about what is at risk. As Erik says, “Learning always involves overcoming obstacles. If there is no resistance, no learning is taking place.” Programs such as ChatGPT have shown us immense possibilities and in our demanding profession, we not only wish to be more efficient, but also teach students the skills they need for the future. We have a pressing fear of inadequacy and falling behind. However, we MUST stop and consider what we are doing and why we are doing it when we are handing over our thinking to a machine.

Erik closes with some wisdom, “You only have a choice if you are aware that you have one.” Do we know that we are losing skills and abilities with the use of AI? Are we wiling to wholeheartedly accept a machine replacing our thinking? Are we aware of the risks (bias, disinformation, social unrest) that is boldly and publicly connected to AI?

And ultimately, do we, our friends and our students even care?

Regardless of the answer, our students deserve to make an informed choice.

Now that takes me to another tangent — how? Who is responsible for this?

We have learned about so many wonderful and impactful instructional strategies, practices and theories in this course, but there is little systemic direction that matches. Lisa had a particularly insightful post about physical literacy last week. Sounds great, but Whose Job is it? 

I never thought I’d say this, but enter the New Ontario Curriculum: Technological Education

Jennifer Casa-Todd writes about it in her blog post here: Digital Skills our Students Need

What is great?

• Outcomes are easy to understand and the site is easy to navigate
• The topics are relevant and complete according to Digital Citizenship and Media Literacy Frameworks (ex. Ribble, Hobbs)
• There is a nifty information for parents section — How cool!!

What is the best?

• This is a stand alone course with allocated instructional minutes

Here in Sask, we are so keen to say, just integrate it. No training, time or resources required. If you use best practice, it doesn’t matter how complex your classroom is.

Maybe we drop the “Can Do” Attitude?

It is ironic that I was in charge of  the content catalyst category: How can schools integrate digital citizenship into existing curricula without it feeling like an ‘add-on’? My thinking has certainly changed after learning about potential systemic changes from Chris Kennedy and seeing a new perspective when reading the Ontario curriculum. To quote Erik again, we only have a choice if we are aware that we have one.

Because otherwise…

we just integrate Universal Design for Learning, Outcome-Based and Triangulated Assessment, Online Safety and Privacy Instruction, Media Literacy and Digital Citizenship, Online/Live Gradebooks & Learning Stories, Indigenous Education, Land Based Learning, STEM Opportunities, Safety Drills, Medical interventions, Social Emotional Learning, Response to Intervention Data Monitoring and Planning, Trauma Sensitive & Neurodivergent Informed Practices, Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports, EAL & Culturally Responsive Education, Professional Development for the newest “Best Practice” (ex. Science of Reading, Building Thinking Classrooms, Instructional Design, Deep Learning, etc.), and Community Correspondence & Relationship Building to name a few — all while performing our regular instructional cycle and prioritizing instructional time to meet the required minutes for our core classes.

Que Burnout.

I love Jessica’s enthusiasm “I have never been so excited to see a curriculum in my life”! I can see why! When we have resources and TIME, it feels do-able.

There is a real opportunity for leadership in this area, particularly in our province. Teachers are leaders, and they are taking the charge right now out of a feeling of moral obligation — but they are also tired. Systemic change in this area could be a refreshing change of pace!