At the annual virtual Driving K-12 Innovation Summit that took place earlier this month, the project and its 140+ Advisory Board announced the release of its 2024 Driving K-12 Innovation Report! This helpful resource serves as a launchpad for EdTech leaders to guide their work by gaining a deeper understanding of the Top Topics that are influencing K-12 educators and IT professionals across the globe. 

Inspired and energized by the report, the EdTech Innovation Committee shared during its February 2024 meeting that it would build upon the sense-making of the report and develop a new series, EdTech Trail Mix, which is a collection of shared, bite-sized stories from the EdTech Innovation Committee and CoSN Members to help others drive impact.

“It’s one thing to read the Driving K-12 Innovation Report, but we want people to personalize it and take an opportunity to use it as a growth opportunity for them, professionally and within their practice,” said EdTech Innovation Committee co-chair David Jarboe (D2 Harrison Schools, Colorado).

Snack on these stories from Committee members — all which center around creating AI guidelines and policies — that surfaced during the February monthly convening.  

Ryan Cox (St. Cloud Area School District ISD 742, Minnesota) 

“Our district began to explore artificial intelligence at the end of the 2022-23 school year to figure out how we want to get ahead of AI and do the very best we can, knowing that it’s moving lightning fast. Starting in September, we met every Thursday for five weeks to take a look at the friction and the fuel around AI and create a framework. We’re conducting AI training sessions right now using the Code.org curriculum, interfacing that into Ed Puzzle for activities and questions for each video. And with Title IV funding, we will launch an AI bootcamp in June for 20 teachers.”

Katie Harmon (Westhill Central Schools, New York)

“We started focus groups with our high school teachers around student guidelines, professional development, and creating lessons that teachers can use to turnkey train how to use AI with their students. I’ve created a website and will be running an asynchronous course (created using Code.org AI learning videos for teachers). Some of the feedback that we’ve received regarding professional development  includes ‘I don’t have time during the day,’  or ‘I can’t meet after school because I have little kids,’ ‘I just wanted to be able to do it on my own.’ Hopefully we will also do a couple of in-person meetings, too.”

Brandon Manrow (Corpus Christi Independent School District, Texas)

“Cary Perales, who is the Director of Instructional Technology in our district, has put together an AI stakeholders group, and their work is based on CoSN’s Artificial Intelligence(AI) in K-12 Toolkit. The group has taken that advice, adopted it, and now we have our own guidance — you’ll see themes and ideas from CoSN throughout it. There’s going to be training for teachers and administrators, and, if things go according to plan, we will be much better prepared by the start of next school year.”

Keep an eye on the CoSN blog to discover the latest EdTech Trail Mix stories to inspire impact in your work!

Calling all CoSN Members: How are you using the Driving K-12 Innovation Report to improve systems in your schools? How are you bettering outcomes for students and staff? How have you overcome a Hurdle (obstacle) in your district? We want to hear about your recipe for innovation that cooked up change in your school or organization.  Share your EdTech Trail Mix today!

AUTHOR: Stephanie King, Writer and Communications Manager, CoSN’s EdTech Innovations Committee and Driving K-12 Innovation

Published on: February 29, 2024

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