How to Teach AI Ethics
AI in education is already changing a lot for teachers while bringing up poignant questions around ethics and privacy – questions which we are still in the early stages of exploring. As AI tools in the classroom become the new normal, the more pressing it becomes to consider the ethics around AI use.
No matter how much some might try to resist the rise of AI, it is overwhelmingly likely going to be a huge part of the future for the next generation, influencing nearly every industry and playing a greater role in daily life. The sooner you can engage your students in ethics and get them to think critically about these issues, the better prepared they will be for that reality.
Benefits of AI in the classroom
To start discussions around AI ethics, it is also helpful to develop your own stance on the tools. Learning your way around AI tools as a teacher helps you to develop a deeper understanding of their potential, and can also give you a tangible understanding of how AI can improve the classroom experience for students.
Save time, improve engagement
AI can help remove some of the painful administrative tasks from your to-do list so that you can focus your limited time on what AI will never be able to replace: personal connection with the students, intuition, and mentorship. When it comes to popular tools, here are some of our top recommended AI tools for teachers if you’re not sure where to start.
Most importantly, AI can personalize the learning experience for your students in ways that may have previously been difficult to do. Tools like Class Companion help teachers give tailored feedback on written assignments. Students get opportunities for low-stakes and unlimited practice – gaining instant, detailed feedback and suggestions for improvement in the process, while letting them learn at their own pace.
Increasing accessibility
AI can open doors for students who might struggle with traditional learning methods, providing new levels of support that can make a real difference in the long run. For students with dyslexia or visual impairments, AI can bring assistance that makes it easier for them to participate more fully in classroom activities.
Speech-to-text functionality allows students to dictate their responses, taking away barriers to writing-intensive tasks, while text-to-speech functionality lets students listen to written content, helpful for those who learn best through audio. AI-driven captioning and transcription services can help students with hearing impairments, who might otherwise miss out on parts of fast-moving class discussions.
Ethical Considerations in AI
While AI brings opportunities for personalized and accessible education, it also raises several ethical considerations, particularly around privacy, plagiarism, and bias. Before initiating discussions with students on these topics, it’s wise to start by practicing AI ethics as an educator, and setting a clear example for responsible AI use around the below.
Data security
AI requires data to operate properly, but in schools, this data often includes sensitive student information. As a teacher, you need to know what data is being collected, what is being done with it, and make sure that both parents and students are informed and consent to this under the rules in your region and country.
Schools also have a duty to keep any data collected safe – which means choosing AI tools that comply with strict data protection standards, so students aren’t exposed to unnecessary risk.
Academic integrity
It’s more important than ever to teach students the value of originality and critical thinking. Some students could be tempted to present AI-generated work as their own. Discussing when using AI is fair (like brainstorming) versus when it crosses into plagiarism helps clarify this. (Here are three ways to tell whether a piece of work is crossing the ethical line.)
You can also introduce tools like GPTZero to detect AI-generated content, reinforcing the message to students that intellectual integrity matters more than ever and AI should support learning, instead of replacing it.
Bias in AI
One of the hidden issues with AI is bias – meaning some tools can unintentionally reinforce stereotypes or unfair treatment. Here’s how you can actively work to mitigate implicit biases in the classroom.
AI algorithms are as fair as the data they’re trained on. Teaching students about inclusive AI practices can help them understand the need for diverse datasets and continuous testing to avoid perpetuating bias.
How to Teach AI Ethics
You can lecture students about AI ethics – but what might be even more effective is getting them to think critically on these topics through personal and group reflection, as these areas are still so new.
Designing material that resonates
An AI ethics curriculum needs to resonate with students’ everyday experiences, and relatable case studies can help bring this tricky topic to life. For example – discussing how social media algorithms can affect body image or mental health helps students see the real-world impact of AI. Or discussing how AI systems can be trained on datasets that reflect society’s biases.
Show that AI is both an opportunity and a risk. Bring in reading material that explores how AI can tackle big issues, like climate change, while also exploring challenges like job automation. This helps students to form a balanced view on the future of AI.
Discussion questions around AI ethics
- How can we make sure AI treats everyone equally?
- Imagine online shopping where AI recommends clothes based on what you’ve looked at before: should it be allowed to push us to spend more or suggest things just because it makes more money for the store?
- If a self-driving car causes an accident, who should be responsible—the car company, the person in the car, or the AI itself?
Running debates and discussions
Giving students the chance to hear different perspectives on AI, and providing them a platform to articulate their own opinions, can also help students develop the ability to think about AI from a critical point of view.
Organize debates where students tackle issues like data privacy or AI bias from opposing angles. These debates help them listen to different viewpoints, building empathy and insight into complex ethical questions.
Let students lead discussions on topics in AI ethics that they’re passionate about. When they take ownership of the material, they’re more likely to engage meaningfully and contribute fresh ideas.
Debate questions around AI ethics
- How should we balance using AI to help people (like in hospitals) with protecting people’s privacy? Where’s the limit, and who gets to decide?
- With AI doing more tasks that people used to do, what should companies do to help workers whose jobs might change or disappear? Should AI be designed to work in ways that protect people’s jobs?
- How does AI decide what we see on social media, and should there be rules to make sure it shows us safe and positive content?
Making your own AI policy clear
When it comes to how students use AI tools for the work you set in your classroom, students need to understand where the lines are.
Make it clear that critical thinking is an important skill – and that even though tools like ChatGPT can be used for brainstorming, they are not to be used for direct copy-and-paste, because not only is that plagiarism, but it can lead to more severe consequences down the line.
Teach students to view AI as a support tool rather than a shortcut. You can remind them that genuine learning happens when they engage with the material, ask questions, and think for themselves. These sorts of guidelines will help students build strong habits in using AI responsibly and ethically, now and in the future.
Key questions around AI in the classroom
- Is using AI plagiarism? (Here’s our take on it.)
- Where’s the line between using AI for support and relying on it too much?
- What skills might students lose if they depend on AI for everything?
Giving students a balanced approach
By helping students through open conversations, relatable examples, and clear guidelines, you can teach them to treat AI as a tool that enhances their learning journey – as opposed to one that replaces critical thinking. The more aware they are of the ethics around AI, and the more they have been prompted to come up with their own opinions around it, the better they will be able to navigate future opportunities both inside and outside the classroom.