Don't Let GenAI Turn Your Student Data into a Study Guide
As the school year kicks off, educators are busy sharpening pencils, setting up classrooms, and—this year—figuring out how to incorporate the latest generative AI (GenAI) tools into their teaching. But before you let these shiny new tech tools loose in your lesson plans, it’s essential to consider one big question: How can we use GenAI to enhance learning without putting your students' data on the AI report card? Let's dive into the do's and don'ts of keeping student information secure while making the most of GenAI in the classroom.
Understanding the Risks
So, here’s the thing about generative AI: it's like that overenthusiastic student who wants to absorb everything you say—literally everything. These AI systems learn from the data they munch on, which sounds great until you realize they might be chewing on some pretty sensitive stuff. In a school setting, that could mean anything from student names to health records. The last thing you want is your students’ personal info becoming part of some AI’s homework assignment! In education, where student privacy is the golden rule, this is one pop quiz you don’t want to fail.
Key Principles to Follow
1. Privacy
- Picture this: every time you enter data into a GenAI tool, it’s like handing out free tickets to a school play—except these tickets might get passed around outside the school too. So, keep your data entries on the G-rated side, and stick to non-sensitive info that doesn’t give away anyone’s starring role.
2. Security
- Here’s the classroom rule: no PII or PHI allowed! That means names, addresses, student ID numbers, and health info are strictly off-limits. Keep it general—think of it as providing a lesson plan outline rather than the full script.
3. Confidentiality
- Don’t let GenAI turn into the class gossip. Steer clear of entering any confidential student data—like grades, disciplinary records, or anything under FERPA’s watchful eye—into these tools. Also, let’s keep those copyrighted lesson plans out of AI’s hands; after all, your hard work deserves to stay within the school walls.
Actions to Avoid (Just Don’t Do It!)
- Do not input student personal information: Remember, this isn’t a roll call! Keep names, addresses, and ID numbers out of GenAI tools.
- Do not share student health information (PHI): No need to play school nurse with GenAI—HIPAA-protected info should stay protected.
- Do not disclose confidential educational records: What happens in the classroom stays in the classroom—so no grades, disciplinary records, or special education details in the AI, please.
- Do not upload copyrighted or proprietary educational content: Your lesson plans are A+ material—let’s make sure they don’t end up being plagiarized by a robot.
- Do not assume student data input into GenAI tools is secure: Treat every data input like a passing note in class—assume it might get intercepted, so handle with care.
Conclusion
Generative AI might just be the new kid on the block with all the cool gadgets, but like any new tool, it needs to be used wisely—especially when it comes to protecting student data. In fact, 63% of parents expressed concern about the security of their child's personal data in educational technology platforms (according to a survey by the Center for Democracy and Technology). This statistic underscores the importance of safeguarding student information when integrating new tools like generative AI. By following these guidelines, educators and school districts can make sure that while GenAI is learning, it’s not learning too much. Keep your students’ data safe, and ensure that trust and privacy are always top of the class.
Resources from AIGG on your AI Journey
Need training or specific support in building AI Literacy or protecting privacy for your organization? We’re a little different. We’re not approaching AI from a tech perspective, though we have techies on staff. We’re approaching it from a safe, ethical, and responsible use perspective because we’ve been through technology and business transformations before.
Whether you’re a government agency, school, district, or business looking to add AI to your tech toolkit, we can guide the way in a responsible manner. AiGg is here to support you in navigating ethics, governance, and strategy setting.
We have attorneys, anthropologists, data scientists, and business leaders to support you as you develop your Strategic AI Use Statements, which can guide your organization’s use of the tools available to you. We also offer bespoke educational workshops to help you explore and build your playbooks, guidelines, and guardrails as your adoption (and potential risk management) options grow.
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