Q&A: Chad Lane Talks AI in the Classroom

What are the risks and concerns when it comes to using AI in some capacity when it comes to young learners?

I think what we’re seeing is we’re really past the AI policing phase in schools. There’s been a real failure of AI detection software, and we’re kind of seeing now a shift into really focusing on verifiable human effort. You know, homework is more for practice, and there are more oral assessments that we’re seeing in schools. The goal is to preserve these critical parts of learning in the face of a tool that can effectively handle K-through-university-level homework assignments. I mean, we don’t go to the gym and then pay the trainer to lift the weights for us and expect to see results. We really want to emphasize to children and learners of all ages that this hard work and what we call "productive struggle" is really important.

So what do you think that educators need to do to make sure that students have that productive struggle and can’t just coast by using AI?

Yeah, it’s an important question of our time. And I’ve seen our schools adapt quickly to this challenge. I’ve been so impressed with the school leaders that I’ve met and the teachers I’ve worked with. They’ve adapted so rapidly. For example, I saw a theater class in Anaheim where instead of giving an assignment where kids would go home and have a chance to use AI to do the work for them, they brought it into the classroom and created a script together with the AI and then performed the script. And I saw deep engagement. So that’s really what we’re thinking about on the research side and working with teachers who are so innovative in doing this to bring AI into the thinking part of learning where we emphasize human agency and control over the experience.

What would be your message to parents in terms of their kids having access to AI on the home front?

I think one lesson that we’ve learned is that children are coming to school with a lot of knowledge and experience. And I think for parents, the goal is to really do what you can to emphasize the exciting things about school and focus on student interests. And once someone cares about their own learning, the topic, and the potential to grow, that changes their behavior, and they won’t even want to use AI. Now, I know that sounds really pie-in-the-sky, but if we can focus on this idea of satisfaction, personal growth, and interest-driven learning, parents can help their children bring AI into their thinking processes in healthy ways. But it’s really about those conversations and being upfront about the ethics of AI, and helping kids develop the critical thinking skills they need to understand the context of AI, not just what it can do for them.

Watch the full video of Lane's interview on YouTube...