AI Adoption that Lasts: From Power Users to Districtwide Change

Outline

Introduction (5 min)
Welcome and session goals
Quick poll: Where are you on your AI journey? (beginner → scaling)

Part 1: Teacher Progressions (15 min)

Model how teachers move from simple AI use to power users
Demo: Using AI for lesson design and classroom management
Peer reflection: Share one classroom scenario

Part 2: Student Progressions (15 min)

Show how AI supports engagement, choice, and agency
Small group brainstorm: Ways to shift ownership to students
Share-out of examples

Part 3: Scaling Districtwide Change (15 min)

Framework for professional learning progressions
Case examples: moving from individual practice to district adoption
Collaborative activity: Draft a scaling step for your context

Wrap-Up and Action Plan (10 min)

Participants build a mini progression plan (teacher, student, district)

Outcomes

After this session, participants will be able to:

- Analyze their school or district’s current AI adoption stage using a professional learning progression model.
- Apply practical AI-integration strategies to a specific area of practice, such as personalizing lesson design or increasing student engagement.
- Develop an actionable first step for leading sustainable AI change, either by becoming a power user or by creating a system to support others.

Supporting research

Darling-Hammond, L., Hyler, M. E., & Gardner, M. (2017). Effective Teacher Professional Development. Learning Policy Institute.

Fullan, M. (2020). Leading in a Culture of Change. Jossey-Bass.

International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE). (2017). ISTE Standards for Educators and Students.

Jal Mehta & Sarah Fine (2019). In Search of Deeper Learning: The Quest to Remake the American High School. Harvard University Press.

Luckin, R. (2018). Machine Learning and Human Intelligence: The Future of Education for the 21st Century. UCL IOE Press.

Reich, J., & Ito, M. (2017). From Good Intentions to Real Outcomes: Equity by Design in Learning Technologies. Digital Media and Learning Research Hub.

U.S. Department of Education, Office of Educational Technology (2023). Artificial Intelligence and the Future of Teaching and Learning.

Zhao, Y. (2012). World Class Learners: Educating Creative and Entrepreneurial Students. Corwin.

Jal Mehta (2023). “Professional Learning as Progression: Building Expertise in Stages.” Harvard Graduate School of Education.

Papert, S. (1980). Mindstorms: Children, Computers, and Powerful Ideas. Basic Books.