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Dear Parents and Families, I have three items for you in this edition of our LCUSD Tech Update: How to talk to students about ChatGPT and other generative AI (genAI) tools. If you have students in grades 6-12, you'll want to talk to your students about the Student AI pledge to promote safe and ethical use. For families with younger students, you'll want to review the resources. Resources related to learning about ChatGPT and other genAI tools you or your student(s) may be using Guidelines that are super important to review and some conversation starters A brief update from the Emerging Tech Council (the parent, teacher, and student group helping lead the conversations around AI in our schools) From what some of the students have told me, because we only talk about AI in terms of cheating , they are reluctant to share how they are using the tools. This means we are missing opportunities, and potentially unsafe practices are occurring. These conversations need to happen at home and at school. This email will offer you resources to chat with your students and develop your understanding. Up first, here are a couple of resources for you related to ChatGPT. With our District subscription to Smart Social, you have access to videos and guides related to a wide range of topics. Please check out this website that offers a high-level overview and some deep dives on ChatGPT and what student use should look like. Smart Social https://smartsocial.com/post/chatgpt?org=lacanadaunified If you haven’t signed up for the LCUSD premium access, start here: https://smartsocial.com/lacanadaunified Next, this blog post is an amazing conversation piece about what it means to use genAI tools as a student. I’m thinking about the frame as a spectrum of AI-created, human-generated, and the collaborative middle. AI in school, what’s cheating, what’s ok: https://ditchthattextbook.com/ai-cheating/ Now that you've studied up, h ere are some questions to use with your students when talking about genAI and school work (with help from ChatGPT): Understanding the Spectrum of AI Assistance in Schoolwork: -Can you explain the differences between completing an assignment entirely on your own, using AI to assist you, and having AI do most of the work? Where do you think the line is drawn between these methods in terms of academic integrity? Evaluating the Role of AI in Learning and Creativity: -How do you decide when it's appropriate to use AI for help with your schoolwork and when it's more beneficial to rely on your own ideas and understanding? What do you think you gain or lose in each scenario? Discussing the Ethical Implications of AI Use: -If you were to work on a project where both your input and AI's assistance are used, how would you describe this collaboration to a teacher or in your project report? How do you think this balance affects the honesty and originality of your work? Nearly a year ago, ChatGPT emerged and piqued our curiosity. In my chats with students at LCHS recently, I’ve discovered that an important PSA needs to get out. Many of the students know the limitations of the tools, but most have no idea about the importance of data privacy. In collaboration with ChatGPT, here is a student pledge for the safe and ethical use of genAI tools that I hope you’ll review with your students in grades 6-12: Acknowledge AI Limitations and Biases I will remember that genAI may not always provide accurate or complete information and will cross-check AI-generated content with reliable sources. I understand that AI systems can exhibit biases, and I commit to critically evaluating their responses and seeking diverse viewpoints. Uphold Ethical Standards and Academic Integrity I pledge to use genAI tools ethically and responsibly. I will not use these tools to engage in plagiarism or any form of academic dishonesty. I will adhere to [School Name]'s policies on using AI in my assignments and will ensure that any work assisted by AI is properly cited and acknowledged. Maintain Data Privacy and Be Aware of My Digital Footprint I will be cautious in sharing personal or sensitive information with AI systems and mindful of my digital footprint when interacting with these technologies. I understand the importance of online privacy and will adhere to safe practices while using AI tools. To help facilitate conversations at home after looking over the pledge, here are some guiding questions: -How do you ensure the information provided by genAI is accurate and unbiased? (This question helps them reflect on the critical evaluation of AI-generated content and the importance of cross-checking information.) -Can you share how you would use genAI ethically for your schoolwork? (This encourages them to think about academic integrity and the ethical use of AI tools in completing assignments.) -What personal information do you think is safe to share with genAI tools, and why? (This question raises awareness about data privacy and helps them understand the boundaries of safe information sharing in the digital space.) Ok, still with me? Here is a quick update from the Emerging Tech Council. We’ve had two meetings so far this year. The main consensus is that we need to foster responsible use of the tools to prepare our students for the modern workforce. This will happen by ensuring students have opportunities to explore, learn, and even make mistakes. We also talked about the concept of disclosure. We need to move beyond the definition of genAI tools as a way to cheat and expand to responsible use and share when and how we use these tools to learn together. Finally, the group is planning a family learning series where you’ll have a chance to learn more and hear from parents who use these tools every day and what they want for their children. I would love to hear how the AI conversations go with your students, if you need more resources, or what training I can offer. Please reach out anytime! We plan to share a similar set of resources with our teachers so we can support from all sides. Jamie Lewsadder LCUSD Technology Team

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