Challenge
My challenge revolves around the rapid advancement of AI and its potential to fundamentally change the way educators approach learning standards, assessments, and instructional objectives. As a Technology Coordinator and EdTech Coach, I've observed that many learning objectives and assessments derived from Common Core Standards can be accomplished by AI. This raises questions about the role of human cognition in education and the very nature of what we want students to know and be able to do. In short, are we out of questions to ask? At the heart of this lies the need to reframe our understanding of learning standards in light of AI's capabilities. Could the traditional framework of deconstructing standards, determining DOK levels, and developing assessments look different in a world where AI can perform many of these tasks? Educators must grapple with the tough, uncomfortable questions of what knowledge and skills remain uniquely human and how to cultivate them in students. This challenge matters because it strikes at the core purpose of education: preparing students for a rapidly changing future. If we continue to focus on skills that can be easily automated, we risk leaving students ill-equipped for a world where AI is prevalent. To truly serve our students, what might it look like to reframe how we approach standards and instruction in a world of AI? What might that look like when teachers are still trying to just “get through the curriculum”? This challenge invites us to look beyond the purpose of our current standards and reimagine education for an AI-driven future. It demands that we ask difficult questions, challenge long-held assumptions, and explore possibilities. Embracing this challenge can help educators ensure that students are prepared to thrive in a world where the boundaries between the demands of human-cognition and AI are increasingly blurred.