GenAI as a creative K–12 learning partner

Professional learning course leverages MLFTC’s expertise.

Creativity is an essential part of being an effective educator, particularly as new technologies emerge. Researchers at ASU’s Mary Lou Fulton Teachers College have been exploring these connections even before GenAI emerged, and they have been involved in developing more than 50 education-focused projects as ASU became the first higher education institution to collaborate with OpenAI.

With this insight, MLFTC has launched a foundational professional learning course, Generative AI: A New Learning Partner. Now available at the ASU Professional Educator Learning Hub, the course can be taken as a  self-paced course or micro-credential.

The GenAI course has been designed by Punya Mishra, professor; Janel White Taylor, clinical professor; and instructor James Dunnigan to provide educators with insight into how to engage with GenAI as a learning partner while exploring ethical considerations. The three shared their collective insight on the role of educators as creators and co-creators in the age of GenAI. Their answers have been combined, paraphrased and edited for length: 

Why is creativity important in education?

With the rapid rise of GenAI, educators have an opportunity —  even an obligation — to experiment creatively with tools and approaches that are essential to their own professional development as well as the academic development of their students. By embracing creativity, educators can enhance their teaching practices, better prepare students for the future, and create a more dynamic and effective learning environment. Yet when it comes to GenAI, educators have been hesitant to be creative with these tools due to a lack of understanding of the capabilities of these new systems. As of fall 2023, 18 percent of K–12 teachers reported using GenAI for teaching, according to a  new report by the American School District Panel , a research partnership between the RAND Corporation and the Center on Reinventing Public Education, which is based at MLFTC. As we see wider societal adoption of GenAI, it will become increasingly important for educators to understand how to leverage these tools and to help students learn basic AI literacy.

Why is it important to look at creativity and GenAI from a critical perspective first? 

A number of surveys indicate growing support for using GenAI in schools, such as one by the Walton Family Foundation that found teachers believe GenAI can boost classroom creativity and support learning. Establishing a foundation in critical perspectives on GenAI and learning  is essential before delving into creative approaches to using GenAI, and this is the approach we take with the course  Generative AI: A New Learning Partner. Understanding the socio-political implications of GenAI helps educators and learners navigate the ethical complexities associated with its use. GenAI technologies are not neutral. They reflect the biases and values of their creators, so examining the embedded biases and prejudices in GenAI technologies is crucial for fostering a more inclusive educational environment. GenAI systems can unintentionally perpetuate discriminatory practices if not carefully scrutinized. By uncovering and addressing these biases, educators can create more inclusive learning experiences.

What kinds of research have MLFTC faculty done in learning through creativity and technology? 

MLFTC researchers have been deeply involved in exploring the reciprocal relationship between technology and creativity, and that includes the development of frameworks that integrate creativity into educational practice. For instance, their work on the “NEW” (Novel, Effective, Whole) approach to defining and measuring creativity provides a structured way to evaluate creative outputs.  MLFTC faculty, such as Mishra and Danah Henriksen, an associate professor, also are conducting research and analysis into the intersection of creativity and technology, such as this one that appeared recently in the journal TechTrends: From Crayons to AI: Widening the Lens on Educational Technology and Creativity. 

As to technology, the TPACK framework, established by Mishra and Mathew J. Koehler, is widely considered the most influential framework in educational technology integration, and MLFTC researchers are exploring the effectiveness of technologies such as digital storytelling, gamification, and maker spaces that can create engaging and dynamic learning environments. MLFTC’s collective knowledge is also represented in several Learning Futures Collaboratives, which bring together faculty, doctoral students, researchers and the wider community to advance research in related topics: Imagination and Futures Thinking,  Artificial Intelligence in Education, and Mapping the Emerging AI Landscape and Implications for K-12 Students.

How are MLFTC faculty actively involved in exploring educational use of these technologies?

In addition to ASU’s strong standing in education research, many of our faculty have been experimenting directly with education and learning approaches through ASU’s unique position as the first higher education institution to have a partnership with OpenAI. MLFTC faculty and staff also are currently developing more than 50 projects that leverage these technologies. Some of these projects include creating chatbots to create personalized math learning approaches and simulation exercises to help pre-service teachers become familiar with common classroom scenarios.

What are some of the ways that K-12 educators can apply creativity and GenAI in education?

One way is in providing educators with the tools to creatively find ways to strengthen their individual effectiveness. For example, certain tasks and administrative burdens that might have taken time out of their day can now be streamlined so that teachers can spend their time more directly with students. Another way that creativity applies to the role of educators is in allowing them to potentially tailor educational content to individual student needs, thereby improving engagement and comprehension. For example, GenAI can generate creative writing prompts, design unique science experiments or develop new approaches to problem-solving activities. These AI-generated ideas can inspire both teachers and students to think outside traditional frameworks and explore new learning methodologies. 

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Learn more about GenAI and educational technology on the ASU Professional Educator Learning Hub: 

• Generative AI: A New Learning Partner. Topics included engaging in discourse with GenAI, comparing and analyzing AI-generated content with human-generated content, and exploring the ethical considerations related to AI-generated content (available as a self-paced course or micro-credential).

• TPACK and Online Pedagogy. Designed to help teachers become proficient in leveraging the TPACK framework so that they can create dynamic and learner-centric experiences in blended and online settings.