Vision Statement on Artificial Intelligence

Lindenhurst Union Free School District is committed to leveraging AI responsibly to enhance learning outcomes and personalize education. Through continuous professional development, we equip educators with AI tools to empower students in collaborative problem-solving, skill development, and critical thinking. We remain committed to upholding ethical standards, safeguarding privacy, and promoting equity and inclusivity in all aspects of our educational practices. By fostering a culture of innovation, collaboration, and lifelong learning, we will prepare our students to become responsible global citizens and leaders in an increasingly AI-driven world.

Mission Statement on Artificial Intelligence

Our mission is to integrate artificial intelligence (AI) within our K-12 educational framework, championing ethical and responsible use to empower students and educators with personalized, innovative, and effective learning experiences. We pledge to uphold principles of privacy, transparency, fairness, and inclusivity, ensuring AI technologies are accessible to all, irrespective of background or ability and used to enhance rather than simplify the educational journey.

Our commitment extends to combating biases within AI, ensuring that our reliance on technology enriches the learning process, augments traditional academic skills, and prepares our students for a future where they can navigate and contribute responsibly to a technologically advanced society. Through this mission, we aspire to not only improve academic performance and teaching effectiveness but also to instill in our community an ethical framework for the use of AI, fostering a culture of continuous learning, adaptation, and innovation.

By embracing these principles and objectives, we envision a future where AI in education opens doors to unparalleled opportunities for personal growth, creativity, and critical thinking, preparing our students and educators not just for the challenges of tomorrow, but for a lifetime of curiosity, engagement, and responsible citizenship in an increasingly digital world.

Position Statement on Artificial Intelligence

The Lindenhurst Union Free School District believes generative AI tools may be useful in facilitating scholarship. Using generative AI tools to assist in the formation of ideas, academic resources, collaboration, and outlining are all acceptable uses of generative AI tool-assisted research activities.

This position statement guides the integration of generative AI technology in the District to enhance learning experiences while maintaining the ethical use of such technologies. It is the District’s position that the primary responsibility for teaching and learning remains with educators and students.

Stakeholders Impacted

• Students: As primary beneficiaries of the integration of generative AI, students will be instructed in its appropriate and ethical use.
• Staff: All faculty and staff will be provided opportunities to explore and use generative AI as a tool to support and improve the educational process.
• Parents/Guardians: All families will be informed of the integration of generative AI in their children's education.
• Community: The wider Lindenhurst School Community will be informed of the integration of generative AI into the District’s curriculum.

Ethical Considerations

Lindenhurst UFSD places a strong emphasis on the ethical use of technology in the classroom. Educators should prioritize the protection of student privacy, data security, and digital citizenship when implementing generative AI. It is essential to comply with all relevant laws, regulations, and district policies related to data privacy and security. Teachers should also educate students about responsible digital practices and foster discussions on ethical considerations associated with AI.

Ongoing Evaluation and Reflection

Continuous evaluation and reflection are essential when integrating new technologies into the classroom. Educators are encouraged to regularly assess the impact of generative AI on student learning outcomes and engagement. By collecting feedback from teachers, students, and parents, the District can make informed decisions and adjustments to optimize the use of these tools.

Acceptable Use of Generative AI Tools

The permitted use of generative AI tools may differ from class to class and teacher to teacher. Before using any generative AI tools, a student should have a conversation with their teacher to be sure they are doing so within the proper guidelines for the specific assignment.

• Precautions should be taken when using generative AI tools for research purposes. Students and teachers should know that creative work included in a prompt becomes part of the algorithm of the AI tool and is no longer your intellectual property, but rather the intellectual property of the entity that owns the AI tool.
• Be careful with intellectual property or text that is not yours. Placing the work of others into an AI-generated prompt without their consent may be considered intellectual property theft, and is likely a violation of copyright.
• AI has been found to invent sources and to generate faulty attributions. Generative AI tools can be useful in the formative research phase of a project: generating lists, articles, and reports, among other materials.
• Remember your values. Generative AI tools should be used in an ethical way to guard against plagiarism and copyright infringement.
• AI is a tool; it is here to help. Generative AI tools can be used to improve the ability of all learners to access information.

Examples of appropriate use:

• explain the topics in a way that works for me;
• help me brainstorm and explore ideas;
• help me study for an upcoming assessment (not to replace teacher-provided materials); and
• provide feedback on my work for areas of improvement.

Unacceptable Use of Generative AI Tools

• Spreading misinformation. Generative AI tools should not be used to spread misinformation or disinformation. The spreading of any sort of misleading, false, or harmful information is deemed unethical by the District.
• Harmful content. Generative AI tools should not be used to create malicious content, including text or images, that could be deemed harmful or inappropriate per District policy. This includes any malicious content that would violate the Code of Conduct, or Faculty and Student Handbooks.
• Violation of privacy. Generative AI tools should not be used for any purpose that would breach someone’s privacy (including your own), create malicious content, or engage in activity that violates the Code of Conduct or Faculty and Student Handbooks.
• Violation of data protection. Generative AI tools should not be used for any purpose that would violate data protection or copyright laws. Personal information should never be entered into AI.
• Plagiarism. Generative AI Tools should not be used to create content that results in plagiarism or any violation of academic integrity.
• Lack of transparency. Students should be open and honest with the use of AI and be prepared to show ethical use and share their AI interactions.
• Dependency. Users of Generative AI  Tools should be aware of dependency on such tools. Generative AI should be used as a supplement, rather than replace creative ideas, inspiration, and critical thinking.

Examples of inappropriate use:

• not asking for permission to use AI tools;
• completing an entire assignment, homework, or assessment;
• not reviewing my work for typographical, pragmatic, and syntactic inaccuracies; and
• not tracking or citing my work with Generative AI.

Example Classroom Policy

In our class, I encourage you to use Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools such as [list tools here] and others. Some of our activities and projects will even require these tools. Understanding and using AI is a new and essential skill, and I will provide lessons and help using these tools.

However, you must understand a few things about using AI, particularly generative tools like ChatGPT:

• Effort matters. If you don't take the time to think through and carefully write your prompts to the AI, you may not get excellent results. It will require practice and patience to get better results.

• Don't blindly trust the AI's responses if the AI gives you a fact or a number. Remember, you will be responsible for the accuracy of the information you use in your work, even if it comes from the AI.

• Always remember to acknowledge when you've used AI in your work. At the end of any project or assignment where you've used AI, include a short explanation about how and why you used it and what prompts you used. Not doing this could be considered as not being honest about your work.

• Lastly, use AI thoughtfully. It can be a great tool, but it's not always the right tool for the job. Consider whether it's the best choice for the task at hand.

Using AI tools in class can be a fun and exciting way to learn. I look forward to seeing how you use these tools in your work!

Conclusion

Lindenhurst UFSD recognizes the potential benefits of generative AI in classroom instruction. However, we emphasize the importance of using these technologies responsibly and in alignment with our educational goals. Educators play a critical role in ensuring that the implementation of generative AI is rooted in sound pedagogical practices, ethical considerations, and ongoing evaluation. By doing so, we can harness the power of technology to enhance student learning experiences and prepare them for success in a rapidly evolving world.

Workgroup Members

The members listed below from the Lindenhurst community played a crucial role in the planning of these documents.