Is AI a danger to growing kids? How are schools balancing it?

Have you ever heard the phrase, "Those were the days when we used to sit together and watch Mahabharat with the whole family, and play cricket with our friends after school"? Every generation has its own version of that sentence. It captures not just a memory, but a way of life.

Now imagine what your children will say when they grow up. Perhaps something like: "Those were the days when we used to make projects with AI, and teachers used to scold us not to use it!" Or maybe: "We used to write code in the computer lab. Then ChatGPT came, and everything changed."

That's the world our children are already living in. The question is: are we, as parents, teachers, and schools, ready to guide them through it wisely? In this article, we will explore how one of the top schools in Greater Noida, Samurja International School, is structuring its curriculum and everything so that its kids learn about AI in the best possible way. 

Also Read | How a Balanced Curriculum Builds Global Citizens at Samurja International School, Greater Noida
 

Why is the Use of AI a Matter of Concern?

AI has always been the center of discussion in every sector, and the education sector is not lagging behind. But while talking about the AI usage in the education sector, you need to consider that students are involved, and they are innocent. They have a curious mind, and when they start exploring, they don’t know the limits. In that scenario, they need guidance, and teachers can be the best guides for them. Hence, AI is a matter of concern for kids only if they use it without guidance. 
 

How can schools strike the right balance?

While AI is in the picture, schools and parents are both responsible for helping the children out. Here are some ways that can help schools to understand this-

AI literacy in the curriculum- Teach students what AI is and how it works, and where it can mislead, instead of just how to use it. 

Teacher-led exploration- It is important that teachers introduce AI to the students in a structured way with an appropriate setup and clear goals. 

Ethical understanding- The responsibility of the teachers is not to introduce AI, but to teach students about the ethical use of it. Let them know the consequences of their action done through AI. 

Parent-Teachers Coordination- The purpose of teaching children about AI usage cannot be fulfilled only by the guidance of the school and teachers. Involvement of the parents is equally important. Hence, it becomes very essential to have a cordial relationship between the parents and teachers. 
 

What are the necessary things required in school infrastructure for systematic learning about AI?

If parents are looking for an appropriate school for their kid, they need to check all parameters, including AI infrastructure. AI is in demand at the moment, and learning about it requires a lot of things. Here, we have mentioned certain things that you can check to understand how well schools can teach AI to their children. 

• Physical and Digital Infrastructure- The first and foremost thing to check is to look for the AI lab/ Computer lab with sufficient devices. A dedicated lab can give them ample resources and will make their journey of learning AI smooth from an AI perspective. The next thing to check from an infrastructure point of view is the internet connectivity in the school, especially in the lab area. The next thing you can check for is interactive smartboards or a large display screen for the whole class AI demonstration. 
• Curriculum and learning materials- After checking the infrastructure requirements, you need to check the next factor, which is curriculum and learning materials. A well-structured, age-appropriate AI syllabus is very important. The focus of the curriculum should be as follows-

• Practicals and hands-on skills- After learning and using basic AI applications, it is important to implement them in the real world. To learn this, schools guide them. They can provide them with Arduino, Raspberry Pi, or basic robotics kits to make abstract concepts tangible. 
• Teacher training and capacity- This can be the most crucial investment of the school. This will not only help teachers and ease their work, but also help students. So this is a long-term investment. Organise the AI workshops, purchase courses for them. 
• Safety, Policy, and Governance- It is very crucial that the school has a clear, wide AI usage policy that defines where AI is permitted, how it must be disabled, and what constitutes its misuse.  Apart from this, the school can also work on content filtering and age-appropriate access control. In addition to the children’s data entered into AI tools must be protected. 

Also Read |  Personalized Learning Through a 1:10 Teacher-Student Ratio at Samurja International School, Greater Noida
 

What is Samurja International School, Greater Noida, doing?

Samurja International School, one of the top schools in Greater Noida, has taken many steps to ensure that AI education is offered in a structured and planned manner. The school has invested in a well-equipped computer lab that allows students to engage with AI tools in a supervised environment, along with offering reliable internet connectivity and display infrastructure for the whole class.

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Their curriculum is designed in a way to introduce AI concepts through an age-appropriate approach rather than teaching them without any planning and structure.  They are taught about everything, right from what AI is, how to use AI, and its application in the real world. Right from teachers' training to creating a structured curriculum, building a clear AI usage policy, and parents-teachers coordination, everything is set up by the school. 

So, now we know that AI is no longer a topic to be worried about; in fact, it can help you achieve heights in your career if implemented properly. So next time, whenever you visit your child’s school, ask them about it. And if you are not getting answers, you need to rethink the choice of school. Also, consider these factors if you are going to search for the right school for your kid. 

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