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Teaching with AI in 2025: A Mature Phase of Integration
With the right approach, AI will empower teachers and students alike to reach new heights in creativity and learning.
Date of writing
January 23, 2025
Time of reading
2 minutes
As we step into 2025, the educational landscape is undergoing a transformative shift, driven by the maturity of artificial intelligence (AI) in classrooms, as highlighted in EdTech Digest. Veteran educator and edtech expert Mark Gura recently shared insights on this evolution, reflecting on the trajectory of AI in education and its potential to reshape teaching and learning.
Thomas Friedman, the three-time Pulitzer Prize-winning commentator, aptly described this era as a "Promethean Moment," where technological advancements, amplified by AI, are changing everything. As Friedman notes, AI is integrated into everything, from everyday gadgets like wristwatches to cutting-edge tools like F-35 fighter jets, fundamentally altering how we absorb, learn, and act on digital content.
“...a great deal of this is driven by technology, amplified now by the AI that we’re putting into everything from our wristwatch to our toaster to our F-35 fighter jet to our computer; impacting our ability to absorb digital content, learn from, share, and act on it.” – Thomas Friedman.
For educators like Gura, this moment calls for reflection and strategic planning. As he noted during a session at Touro University’s Graduate School of Technology, preparing students for an AI-dominated world is no longer optional—it's urgent.
To address the challenges and opportunities of AI in education, Gura invited Rachelle Dene Poth, a seasoned educator and expert in integrating AI into K-12 classrooms, to his class. Poth shared her journey, which began with a single blog post seven years ago and has since blossomed into a deep exploration of AI's role in teaching and learning.
Poth emphasized the importance of equipping students with AI knowledge and skills, describing how she incorporates AI into her Spanish and STEAM classes. Her approach includes using AI-generated projects alongside traditional ones, teaching students to discern the differences and use AI responsibly.
“Students are going to need to know how to use this,” she asserts. “In a lot of careers, hiring will be contingent on knowledge of AI. And knowing how to use it ethically and responsibly will be crucial.” – Rachelle Dene Poth.
Gura outlined the evolution of AI in classrooms:
Poth and Gura agree that teaching students how to use AI ethically and effectively is critical. This includes fostering higher-order thinking skills, creativity, and media literacy to help students navigate an AI-rich world.
Gura also highlighted the role of generative AI in enhancing student creativity, allowing them to leapfrog traditional skill barriers and focus on exploration and discovery.
Gura offered three key takeaways for educators:
As Sir Arthur C. Clarke once said, “Any teacher who can be replaced by a machine, should be!” Gura and Poth’s insights remind us that, with the right approach, AI will empower teachers and students alike to reach new heights in creativity and learning.
Thomas Friedman, the three-time Pulitzer Prize-winning commentator, aptly described this era as a "Promethean Moment," where technological advancements, amplified by AI, are changing everything. As Friedman notes, AI is integrated into everything, from everyday gadgets like wristwatches to cutting-edge tools like F-35 fighter jets, fundamentally altering how we absorb, learn, and act on digital content.
“...a great deal of this is driven by technology, amplified now by the AI that we’re putting into everything from our wristwatch to our toaster to our F-35 fighter jet to our computer; impacting our ability to absorb digital content, learn from, share, and act on it.” – Thomas Friedman.
For educators like Gura, this moment calls for reflection and strategic planning. As he noted during a session at Touro University’s Graduate School of Technology, preparing students for an AI-dominated world is no longer optional—it's urgent.
To address the challenges and opportunities of AI in education, Gura invited Rachelle Dene Poth, a seasoned educator and expert in integrating AI into K-12 classrooms, to his class. Poth shared her journey, which began with a single blog post seven years ago and has since blossomed into a deep exploration of AI's role in teaching and learning.
Poth emphasized the importance of equipping students with AI knowledge and skills, describing how she incorporates AI into her Spanish and STEAM classes. Her approach includes using AI-generated projects alongside traditional ones, teaching students to discern the differences and use AI responsibly.
“Students are going to need to know how to use this,” she asserts. “In a lot of careers, hiring will be contingent on knowledge of AI. And knowing how to use it ethically and responsibly will be crucial.” – Rachelle Dene Poth.
Gura outlined the evolution of AI in classrooms:
- Shock and Awe: The initial fear of losing control as students used AI to complete tasks like essay writing.
- Labor-Saving Phase: Teachers began using AI to streamline tasks, such as creating quizzes, freeing up time for more personalized teaching.
- Mature Phase: Educators now see AI as both a teaching and learning tool, empowering students to explore and create.
Poth and Gura agree that teaching students how to use AI ethically and effectively is critical. This includes fostering higher-order thinking skills, creativity, and media literacy to help students navigate an AI-rich world.
Gura also highlighted the role of generative AI in enhancing student creativity, allowing them to leapfrog traditional skill barriers and focus on exploration and discovery.
Gura offered three key takeaways for educators:
- Empower Students with AI: Use AI to enrich learning experiences, such as personalized simulations or oral histories of influential figures.
- Focus on Creativity and Higher-Order Thinking: Encourage students to create and explore using AI, fostering skills like curiosity and imagination.
- Reflect on AI-Generated Content: Teach students to critically evaluate AI outputs and compare them with their own work.
As Sir Arthur C. Clarke once said, “Any teacher who can be replaced by a machine, should be!” Gura and Poth’s insights remind us that, with the right approach, AI will empower teachers and students alike to reach new heights in creativity and learning.