This article is the first in a series that will explore AI, particularly the topics of how it can foster student agency, cultivate a love of reading that celebrates cultural diversity, and support multilingual learners in literacy instruction.

I vividly recall the first time I encountered artificial intelligence (AI). I was teaching a class called “The Literacy Professional” when one of my students, a high school English language arts teacher at the time, expressed deep concerns about the potential impact of AI on student integrity. There was widespread fear that AI would lead to rampant plagiarism and cheating, making it impossible to detect academic dishonesty. The stigma surrounding AI was intense, with many educators alarmed at the prospect of students no longer doing their own work.

Intrigued, I decided to explore how AI could be used and quickly realized its potential to enhance my life by increasing work productivity. Despite some initial trepidation, I decided to test AI at home. I provided ChatGPT—a chatbot that users can interact with as if they’re communicating with a human—with a list of the main ingredients in my pantry and refrigerator, my dietary preferences, and my family size, and asked it to create a week’s worth of nutrient-dense meals for breakfast, lunch, and dinner that all take under 30 minutes to prepare. I was astonished at how quickly the tool generated meal plans that we enjoyed, catered to our preferences, and efficiently used up the groceries I had on hand. It saved both time and money, and from that moment, I was hooked.

Addressing educator concerns

Many teachers are reluctant to use AI as a generative tool for work, often due to ethical concerns. How much can you rely on AI and still consider the work your own? There's also the worry about unanticipated/unintended consequences, such as the potential for AI to undermine job security—all valid concerns indicative of the uncertainty many educators feel about the role AI will play in their profession.

I want to share something my boss said during a recent faculty meeting that has really resonated with me: “You shouldn’t worry about AI taking your job, but you should worry about the person who is actively integrating and using AI. They are the ones that will take your job!”

So, my argument becomes this: Let's learn to use AI in ways that support our personal and professional lives while maintaining ethical standards.

Discovering AI’s potential

Reflecting on my time as a master’s student, I remember conducting research by going to the library, handwriting lists of topics, using card catalogs to locate physical copies of papers, and spending hours reading to find the necessary literature. I’m grateful that those days are behind us, as computers can now perform those searches for us.

Just as technology has transformed the way we conduct research, it has also opened new possibilities for enhancing our educational practices. Similarly, the rise of generative AI presents countless opportunities for innovation in education. To illustrate, I share a few practical applications of AI across different educational settings.

Higher education:

1. Standard-aligned rubrics: Create rubrics tailored to specific learning objectives and standards.
2. Case study generation: Develop case studies to help preservice teachers learn to apply literacy topics in real-life scenarios.
3. Quiz/test question creation: Generate diverse and challenging questions for assessments.
4. Content summaries: Provide simplified explanations of complex topics.
   • Example: “Explain the science of reading as if I’m a sixth grader, highlighting the most critical components and why they are important. Provide examples of what it is and isn’t, and how teachers can apply it in a second-grade classroom.”
5. Decodable text lists: Generate lists of decodable texts that support specific phonics skills.

K–12 education:

1. Standard-aligned rubrics: Customize rubrics to meet the standards of your classroom.
2. Critical thinking questions: Develop higher-order thinking questions for advanced readers.
3. Scaffolds and supports: Create tailored supports for developing readers.
4. Family communication: Draft email responses and newsletters for families.

These AI tools are designed to enhance the teaching process, saving valuable time while ensuring that tasks such as creating rubrics, developing questions, and communicating with families are handled efficiently. When used thoughtfully and ethically, they help educators streamline their work and maximize their impact in the classroom and allow teachers to focus more on what truly matters: engaging with students and fostering their growth.

Final considerations

As I have introduced, AI offers a range of tools that can greatly enhance teaching, from streamlining routine tasks to generating new instructional materials. However, as with any powerful tool, it's crucial to approach AI thoughtfully and ethically. The following are a few points of consideration: 

1. AI thrives in conversation: AI is most effective when used interactively, allowing for dynamic exchanges that can enrich our work.
2. AI isn’t perfect: Although AI can save time and enhance productivity, it’s not infallible. Users will need to cross-check AI-generated content with reliable sources to ensure accuracy and integrity.
3. Give credit where it’s due: Just as we teach our students the importance of academic honesty, we too must acknowledge the role AI plays in our work by citing it appropriately. To learn more about correct citations, visit resources such as the APA manual or Grammarly.
4. Explore tools that enhance your teaching: There are many tools out there, including Khanmigo, Quizlet, Canva, or MagicSchool AI, which can support various aspects of teaching while allowing educators to focus on the human elements that technology can’t replace.

These considerations remind us that the ethical implications of AI use are just as significant as the practical benefits. Just as we've integrated spell checkers and search engines such as Google into our daily lives—both of which are forms of AI—the key lies in how we use these tools.

Whether your goal is to communicate more effectively, create with greater efficiency, or save time, we must always ask ourselves: Are we taking rightful credit for what we produce, or are we acknowledging the tools that helped us get there?

By keeping these questions in mind, and embracing AI as a supportive tool, we can optimize our efforts, save time and, ultimately, provide our students with the best possible learning experience.

Amber Spears is an associate professor of literacy methods at Tennessee Tech University in Cookeville, TN. She is the executive director of the Elinor Ross CDF Freedom School and the immediate past chair of the Literacy Association of Tennessee. An ILA member since 2015, she has had a nearly two-decade career dedicated to advancing literacy education in her community.

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