Using Artificial Intelligence to Enhance Educators' Capabilities Practically
In the bustling city of New York, the NYC Tech Summit 2025 saw a thought-provoking discussion on the transformative impact of Artificial Intelligence (AI) on educational leadership. Maximillian Re-Sugiura, principal of the High School of Art and Design, and Brett Roer, CEO and Founder of Amplify and Elevate Innovation, led the conversation.
Re-Sugiura suggests that AI can be a game-changer for educators, particularly in automating tasks with a known learning curve. This could free up significant time for teachers to focus on student engagement and personalised instruction. AI tools can potentially assist with tasks such as creating curriculums, lesson plans, assigning seating for students, and making quizzes and tests.
Roer echoes this sentiment, adding that AI can help address common issues of time and capacity that teachers often face. However, he also emphasises the importance of understanding the general problems in a teacher's work that AI could help address.
Dr. Andy Szeto, Academic Policy, Performance, and Assessment Lead for the NYC Department of Education, was also present. He underscores the need to understand both the capabilities and limitations of AI tools. Contrary to fearmongering, Szeto states that AI is not inherently incapable of creating lesson plans.
As AI tools are integrated into educational settings, compliance with data privacy regulations is crucial. Educational institutions must assess what student data is collected by AI tools, why it is needed, and who can access it to prevent unauthorised data use. Strict adherence to regulations such as FERPA, COPPA, GDPR, and local or state-specific laws is essential.
Implementing strong security controls, including encryption, access control mechanisms, and vendor accountability, is also vital to protect sensitive student information from breaches. Clear policies concerning data ownership, retention periods, and deletion procedures are necessary to reduce legal risks and maintain trust among stakeholders.
Ongoing training for staff on privacy best practices and keeping parents and students informed about AI use and data privacy measures are key to fostering a culture of accountability and transparency.
Balancing innovative AI integration with responsible privacy management enables schools to harness AI’s benefits, like personalised learning and workload reduction, while safeguarding student data and complying with evolving regulations. Re-Sugiura also highlights the importance of ensuring that AI implementation is allowed, and to have open dialogues with state municipalities and district leadership.
In summary, effective AI implementation in education involves using AI to automate time-consuming tasks and personalise learning, backed by a comprehensive approach to privacy compliance focused on data governance, legal adherence, security, clear policies, and stakeholder engagement. This approach not only enhances learning outcomes but also ensures a secure and transparent educational environment for all.
- Teacher Maximillian Re-Sugiura suggests that AI can free up their time by automating tasks, allowing them to focus on student engagement and personalised instruction.
- School principals, such as Re-Sugiura, can potentially use AI tools to assist with tasks like creating curriculums, lesson plans, seating arrangements, and making quizzes and tests.
- Dr. Andy Szeto, from the NYC Department of Education, stresses the importance of understanding both the capabilities and limitations of AI tools, stating that AI is not inherently incapable of creating lesson plans.
- To protect sensitive student information from breaches, schools must implement strong security controls, comply with data privacy regulations, and maintain ongoing training for staff on privacy best practices.
