AI has rapidly become part of everyday life, and schools across Illinois are working to understand how the technology can be used responsibly while still keeping learning and human connection at the center.
For Sondgeroth, one of the most important principles is viewing AI as a partner in learning rather than a replacement for learning. The goal is not to hand assignments over to artificial intelligence, but to use the technology to support students and teachers.
That distinction can also apply to educators. Sondgeroth shared examples of using AI to automate routine tasks, such as analyzing a calendar and adding travel time to appointments. In another example, he used AI to help transform a recorded conversation about 3D printing into a helpful guide that could be shared with a teacher.
The difference is in how the technology is being used. Rather than asking AI to create something without human input, educators can bring their own knowledge and expertise to the process and use AI to help organize, expand, or present that information in a useful way.
Teaching Students How to Use AI Responsibly
One of the challenges facing schools is determining when and how students should be introduced to AI.
While some schools may consider banning or restricting the technology, Sondgeroth emphasized that students already have access to AI outside the classroom. Completely prohibiting it does not necessarily teach students how to use it responsibly.
Instead, schools have an opportunity to teach students when AI is appropriate, when it is not, and how to evaluate the information it provides.
Sondgeroth compared the situation to learning how to conduct research. Students have traditionally been taught how to distinguish reliable sources from unreliable ones, evaluate information, and determine whether a source supports their work. Those same critical-thinking skills are increasingly important when working with AI.
Students need to understand that AI can assist their thinking, but it should not replace their own thinking.
The Problem of Academic Dishonesty
Academic dishonesty remains one of the biggest concerns schools are facing as AI becomes more accessible.
Students can use generative AI to produce essays and other assignments, creating questions about whether the submitted work represents the student’s own learning.
At the same time, there is another side to the issue. Students who are completing their own work may worry that teachers will assume they used AI simply because their work is polished or well-written.
That can create an erosion of trust between students and teachers, with educators questioning whether assignments are authentic and students worrying that their legitimate work will be viewed with suspicion.
Schools are exploring tools that can help identify unusual activity, including systems that can show the progression of a student’s work in a Google document or identify large copy-and-paste activity. However, Sondgeroth noted that AI detection tools are not perfect.
Ultimately, conversations between students and teachers remain an important part of addressing the issue.
AI Is More Than ChatGPT
The rapid growth of generative AI can make it easy to think of artificial intelligence as something relatively new. However, AI has been part of people’s everyday lives for years.
Recommendation systems on services such as Netflix, YouTube and Spotify use algorithms to determine what content users might want to see or hear next. Digital assistants such as Siri and Alexa have also used forms of artificial intelligence for years.
Generative AI tools such as ChatGPT, Claude and Google Gemini represent a different category because they can create new content based on the information they have been trained on and the prompts they receive.
As those technologies continue to develop, traditional digital assistants are also becoming more sophisticated, further blurring the line between the AI people have used for years and the generative AI that has recently exploded in popularity.
Balancing Technology and Screen Time
Another challenge for educators is determining how much technology students should use in school.
There has been growing interest in reducing screen time, including movements encouraging schools to limit students’ exposure to screens. Sondgeroth believes there is value in examining screen use, but the type of screen time matters.
Technology used as a babysitter or simply for entertainment is different from technology being used to create, research, collaborate, and learn.
The goal should not necessarily be to eliminate technology from classrooms, particularly when technology is already deeply integrated into the workplace. Instead, schools need to help students develop the skills to use technology productively.
That means preparing students for a world where computers, artificial intelligence and other digital tools are increasingly part of nearly every profession.
Preparing Students for an AI-Driven Workforce
While nobody can predict exactly what AI will look like in the future, Sondgeroth believes students will benefit from learning how to use these tools effectively and responsibly.
AI may allow workers to complete certain tasks faster and more efficiently, potentially giving people who understand how to use the technology an advantage in the workforce.
The key is understanding when AI can help and when it is better to complete a task without it.
Sondgeroth also emphasized the importance of teaching students how to ask good questions and communicate clearly. The quality of an AI response is heavily influenced by the quality of the prompt, meaning students who can think critically, ask detailed questions, and write descriptively may be better equipped to use the technology effectively.
Those skills extend beyond AI. Knowing how to ask a thoughtful question can help students communicate with teachers, supervisors, coworkers, and future employers.
A Future Built Around Critical Thinking
As artificial intelligence continues to evolve, Sondgeroth believes people should approach the technology with healthy skepticism rather than fear or blind acceptance.
AI can provide tremendous benefits, but it can also produce inaccurate information, create ethical challenges, and be misused.
The answer is not necessarily to ignore the technology. Instead, students, educators, and adults can learn about AI, understand its limitations, and develop the skills necessary to use it responsibly.
For schools, that means finding the balance between embracing technology and preserving the human elements of education.
For students, it means learning how to think first, use AI as a partner when appropriate, and recognize when the best solution is still to do the work themselves.
As AI continues to change, that balance may shift. But teaching critical thinking, responsible technology use, and strong communication skills can help prepare students for whatever comes next.
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