Gainesville, Fla. — As schools begin their fall semester in Florida, the University of Florida issued guidance to help parents increase the presence of artificial intelligence (AI) in their K-12 education.
Brittany Sylvestri, author of UF News, reports Maya Israel, professor of educational technology and computer science education at UF and director of the Center for Computer Science Education, urging parents and educators to use AI tools in ways that support learning.
Israel notes that AI use varies widely across districts. In some regions, AI remains exclusively for teachers, and teachers may use it to develop custom reading materials for younger learners. Other times, older students may utilize AI tools for grammar checks, visual aids, or science simulations. In all cases, effective educators ensure that AI is not a substitute for student efforts, but is just one of many tools.
Notable tools include platforms such as Canva for creating infographics and videos, as well as Google’s Teachable machines that allow students to train their own image recognition models. These tools can be used thoughtfully to enhance creativity and understanding to enrich project-based learning.
But Israel warns against excessive dependence. Teachers are encouraged to design AI-enabled activities that encourage reflection and reasoning. This explains to students to explain how or why the AI reached its output. Rather than shortcuts asking questions like “Does the outcome make sense based on what you know?”, it helps you maintain learning through exploration and dialogue.
Israel said parents are naturally worried about AI weakening students’ independent thinking. To address this, educators are encouraged to openly communicate with their families about AI policies and approaches, ensuring that the use of these tools reinforces original thinking and creativity.
Source Credit
This article is based on a press release from the University of Florida, published on August 18, 2025, “AI in the Classroom: What Parents Should Know” and “AI in the AI: What You Should Know.”
